usatoday
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
Texas returns with familiar goal: win another title</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--startclickprintexclude--><TABLE height=25 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><!--endclickprintexclude-->Updated 8/6/2006 8:24 PM ET
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>
</TD><TD vAlign=top width=20 rowSpan=3>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink width=80 height=18>
Enlarge</TD><TD class=photoCredit align=right width=165>By Harry Cabluck, AP</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=1>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=photoCredit colSpan=2>"If Vince (Young) had returned, we would have been Number One," Longhorns coach Mack Brown said on Sunday.
AUSTIN (AP) — Even without
Vince Young, the Texas Longhorns returned to training camp Sunday with a single mission in mind: win another national championship.
"We're going into this season thinking we're going to win it all again," senior defensive end Brian Robison said as the team reported for preseason practice. The Longhorns' first workout is scheduled for Monday night.
Winners of 20 straight games, including last season's 41-38 victory over Southern California in the Rose Bowl, Texas returns 16 starters from the national championship squad, including most of the offensive and defensive lines, running backs and wide receivers.
What they won't have is the familiar No. 10 at quarterback running and passing his way around defenses. Young left school after his junior season and was drafted third overall by the Tennessee Titans.
That leaves coach Mack Brown trying to find not only a playmaker over the next few weeks, but also a new team leader in the locker room. The Longhorns open the season Sept. 2 at home against North Texas, then host Ohio State a week later in a likely showdown of two Top 5 teams.
"If Vince had returned, we would have been Number One," said Brown, who won his first national and Big 12 titles last season. "Our goal for the next month is to re-establish our chemistry and leadership. That's a hard thing to do."
Battling at quarterback are freshmen Colt McCoy, who redshirted last season while watching and learning from Young, and Jevan Snead, who was in high school last season. Snead enrolled in the spring and participated in spring drills.
The transition could be rough. Young ended his career with a 30-2 record as a starter. He is Texas' career leader in total offense (9,167 yards), touchdowns (81) and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (37). Neither McCoy nor Snead has taken a live snap in a game.
Brown says both quarterbacks will play this season until one emerges as a clear No. 1. While that could work itself out fairly quickly, it could also mean the Longhorns are rotating quarterbacks when the Buckeyes come to Austin for a game in which the winner gets an early boost in the hunt for the national championship.
Several of their older teammates said they have confidence in both players after watching them in the spring and summer workouts.
"Whoever starts is going to be great," said senior offensive guard Kasey Studdard.
The team has yet to settle on its motto for the season. Last year, it was "Take Dead Aim" and Texas cruised to a 13-0 record.
As for playing for another national title, Brown said his team won't be happy with those shiny rings and the memories of a trip to the White House to meet President Bush.
"It's been a long time since these kids lost," Brown said. "They're not going to give it up easy."
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--startclickprintexclude-->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>