I have always believed that Mack Brown is one of the most overrated head coaches in college football, and that assertion is supported by the fact that the Longhorns are 2-10 in their last twelve games against ranked opponents. Despite Brown’s incompetence on the sideline, it’s hard to discount everything that Texas has going for it entering the 2013-2014 campaign:
- 19 returning starters
- The best offensive line in college football
- One of the best backfields in the nation
- A group of defensive linemen and linebackers who are the envy of collegiate coaches
- Experienced quarterbacks who should put up Colt McCoy-like numbers
If I can just overlook Mack Brown, Texas will be a definite ‘play on’ team throughout the 2013 season.
TEXAS LONGHORNS (Position-by-Position Analysis
Quarterbacks – all return; LY D.Ash (2,699,67.3%,19-8) & C.McCoy (722,71.1%,6-3)
2 rFr in mix & add PS310 T.Swoops who wowed in Spring game; expect best QB play since ’09 (Colt McCoy)
Running Backs – top 4 RBs return from LY’s inj unit ; if healthy, one of NCAA’s best RB corps
Receivers – all return but #3 WR (NFL);have 13 VHTs in unit; look for more production TY; need #1 WR M.Davis to cure drops of last 2 yrs
Offensive Line– lose 2 key b/u’s; return 8 of top 10 that dropped to 171 ypg (4.5) but only 16 sks
124 car sts & should have one of strongest OL’s in NCAA (5 b/u’s all PS#18 or btr
Defensive Line – lose star (NFL) & 1 PT strtr; get back inj DE Jeffcoat; add Hous trnsfr (strtr)
loaded w/VHTs; LY disappointed w/ 192 (4.6) but may be due to inexper LB unit; expect unit to be more on par w/’10 version (’10 – 139 ypg (3.5 ypc)
Linebackers – entire 2 deep returns & much more experience; know LY’s 29.2 ppg allw’d was bad, but talent-wise, unit one of NCAA’s best
Defensive Backs – lose top DB(NFL), but return next 7 from LY’s unit that surprisingly dropped to #36
close to same talent that TX had 2 yrs ago (allw’d 22.2 ppg)
Special Teams – lose P & KR from LY’s #31 ranked unit; usually VHTs are ST plyrs; should improve w/better health from K’s
Coaches – HC M.Brown enters 16th yr;in his last 12 games against ranked tms he is only 2-10
(na/3) co-OC M.Applewhite returns (3rd yr as OC) & takes over play calling TY; new co-OC D.Wyatt is in 3rd yr w/TX; DC M.Diaz enters 3rd yr (DC at MissSt ’10 & Middle Tenn ’06-’09)
Overall Off NCAA projections – #15 pass ypg, #10 ppg, #11 total ypg
Big 12 projections – #4 rush ypg, #4 pass ypg, #3 ppg
- 10 starters return
Overall Def Big 12 projections – #3 rush ypg, #1 pass ypg, #2 ppg
- 9 starters return Rank (Diff)
Experience Rank – 1 (of all NCAA FBS teams)
- 19 returning strtrs, incl top 2 Def plyrs, & lose only 12 lttrmen
Team Positive/Negative Factors -Impact for 2012
Net Close Wins/Losses – 3 close wins, 1 close loss last year
Schedule – 15th hardest
Lost to NFL Draft – 12th most lost
Coach Change – new co-Offensive Coordinator