Game Thread Game Two: #1 Ohio State 24, #2 Texas 7 (9/9/06)

[Best Buckeye]

Texas

I am curious as to what JT will have on both sides of the ball. I just know he will have an offensive adjustment or adaptation.
I can hardly wait to see what defensive changes are made, both in depth chart and plays

GO BUCKS

 

[BuckPshrink]

I think Texas is going to find out exactly what they escaped last year when WE the Buckeyes beat ourselves.. They DID NOT beat us theirselves.. We were the best players on their team. My only regret is that Young won't be there to get his taste of it. GO BUCKS!!!

Uhh. Dude....
It was a shootout! Funny ball bounces funny sometimes. Don't be fooled, Texas and Vince beat the Bucks. Broke my heart as it was the Best game I ever saw in the 'Shoe!
Still, this could be just as impressive a game should our D find itself. ( A lot to ask for such a young lot.) Could also be ugly but I don't think so...

 

[calibuck]

Great posts, EH. You very adroitly pointed out some weaknesses of our team without sounding like a pompous ass (others take note on how to do this). And you reciprocated on your own team.

It will be a great high powered OSU O versus an equally high powered UT D. Further a very young OSU D verssus a very young UT O. Whoever makes the mistake in the 'young un' matchup will lose points pretty quick. Didn't see much of the UT game (only in between nines), but didn't see any account of any sort of Colt play action. If he's holding out for OSU, then he'll suck in our young, very aggressive safeties and score more points.

It'll come down to our D-line versus the UT O-line. If we can pressure McCoy, then he'll make some mistakes. If he has time, the veteran wideouts will make our d-backs look silly. When a safety is your leading tackler, you're in trouble.

That said, I am less convinced that OSU will romp. I believe that Heacock and Fickell will have the back seven breaking down film from now until the cows come home.....I also expect to see some changes in the D line-up. Not too sure who was in when, it looked like a merry-go-round in there.

Still, Texas will be favored when the Vegas spread comes out, so I'll take the Buckeyes and the points.

:gobucks3: :gobucks4: It'll be a great sparring match :box: . I believe that Tressel is a better game day coach than Mack, and that'll be the difference.

 

[bigbadearl]

Random thoughts

Long time lurker, and just felt like throwing in my 2cents worth.
1. was at your house last yr. and had a great time. (helps of course when your team wins!) i know you got some bad press about fan behavior, but the older alums i came in contact with were very friendly and hospitable. sure the drunk students were out of hand but thats at most any campus. your stadium is the coolest i've seen and by far the loudest. (was at the tenn/aub game in knoxville with more people but less noise) all in all a great experience

2. For any of you bucknuts coming to Austin, I know you'll also have a great time. Great stadium, cool campus and absolutely the best looking women. Word of advice though: drink lots and lots of water. I know you'll want to get all liquored up but in this heat it'll be hard to make it to game time. last year it was warm in Cbus but by night fall it had cooled down quite a bit. I remember going out of the stands into the outside walkways and how cool the breeze was. won't be the same here. at best it'll still be 90+ with heat index by end of game so just pace yourselves. did i mention the women?

3. Game thoughts: been hearing for months all the bragging on both sides re: the best athletes, etc... both sides have nfl talent across the board and often replace graduating star starters with backups who turn out better. taht said i think it comes down to who's backups play the best. much like in basketball where you look at 2nd team bench production. bulk of both teams starters will probably play no more than 3 qtrs. total if that much, if they do they'll lose. Doesn't matter how good of shape your in, if you've been playing all night, by the end of the third qtr. in this climate you'll be gassed. I may not be able to predict a score, but I can absloutely guarantee there will be wholesale substitutions, so the team with the most production from the bachkups will be the key as I see the starters matching up pretty evenly.

Anyway, have a safe trip down, enjoy Austin, spend lots of $$, and appreciate the chance to play a game like this, damned few if you ask me. I hate games like niu/nt, etc... 9/9 is College Football!!!

 

[CleveBucks]

Word of advice though: drink lots and lots of water. I know you'll want to get all liquored up but in this heat it'll be hard to make it to game time.

I swear, people must think Columbus is like Minnesota. What do they think we do all summer? Sit inside air-conditioned shopping malls from 8am-8pm? Do all Ohio golf courses shut down from June-August? Do people refrain from drinking outside on the 4th of July up around here?

 

[NFBuck]

I swear, people must think Columbus is like Minnesota. What do they think we do all summer? Sit inside air-conditioned shopping malls from 8am-8pm? Do all Ohio golf courses shut down from June-August? Do people refrain from drinking outside on the 4th of July up around here?

Yeah, but it's gonna be REALLY hot.

 

[bigbadearl]

simmer down Cleve, its just some advice. there were hundreds of heat related problems at this past sat. game. pretty ugly seen. lots of vomiting in stadium, cool down rooms full, EMS's constantly shuttling passed out peolple to hospitals, etc... there just aren't many people who can stay outside in 95+ if we're lucky, to 105+ all day and stay healthy. especially with alcohol in the mix. And yes i know it gets hot in OH in the summer but it just ain't the same and this is just now getting into the hottest part of our summer.

 

[JXC]

This game doesn't scare me...and there is one reason...TROY SMITH. He now has it all...he can see the whole field, he can check down, he can hit recievers in stride, he can make great decisions, and he can lead a team...AND HE DIDNT EVEN NEED TO USE HIS FEET. Troy Smith is a men amoung boys in college football. He's gotten better from last year, and he may turn out to be the best passing QB in the country this year. Add in the fact that he can bust out for a 100 yard rushing game at any time, then you've got yourself the best player in college football. I don't think the gameplan let Troy show his full potental yesterday. I feel so confident in our passing game, that we could throw the ball every down and not be stopped. Throw in the best O-line and best running back in the big 10...and this offense will not be stopped. If we don't fumble the ball away this Saturday, we are going to score A TON of points. Texas will score...and the team that makes the least mistakes will win...but the ball will be in the hands of Troy Smith, Antonio Pittman, and Ted Ginn...and I trust and know that they will make little if any mistakes this Saturday. Go Bucks!!!

 

[Kueller]

Ill tell you who is going to win the game right now, this is how close i think it will be ready.
Tails- Bucks
Heads- texas

winner- Bucks are going to win sorry xGAY this is probably a more reliable way that listening to your bull shit.

Hrm, my quarter came up heads :(
That's what I get for using a Texas quarter, so I tried a Michigan quarter...it came up heads as well, an Ohio quarter came up tails though!

I decided the quarters were all homers, so I found a nice impartial penny with honest Abe to give me a fair outlook on the game: Heads. Well, that sucked.
Heads again. You know, I'm beginning to get annoyed with Abe.
Heads again! What are the chances?
Still not getting the right answer I flipped one last time, the penny bounced off my hand, across the floor and into a floor vent...I think it's safe to call this one for Texas.

 

[Steve19]

Guys, take the information about the heat to heart. I lived in Texas and it is very hot and humid late into the night this time of year.

Drinking alcoholic beverages gives you a false impression that you are rehydrating, when in fact alcohol consumption causes dehydration. There would be nothing worse than to get there and to then be unable to see the game, so watch yourselves and have fun! We need every Buckeye voice in Darryl Royal Stadium that we can get.

 

[osugrad21]

Rep

[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Bucks seek revenge[/FONT]
Monday, September 4, 2006 [FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]

COLUMBUS - There was the rotating quarterbacks. A dropped pass in the end zone. A fumble at the end of the game. Of course, Texas quarterback Vince Young’s incredible performance.
A year ago, Ohio State’s national title dreams ended with a 25-22 loss to the eventual national champion Longhorns the second week of the season.
That game is remembered for a lot things, but only one stands out in the Ohio State locker room.
The loss.
The top-ranked Buckeyes head to No. 2 Texas (No. 3 in The Associated Press poll) for a nationally televised prime time showdown in Austin. Last year’s loss has not been forgotten. National title hopes ended that September night. The Buckeyes hope to spark new ones in the rematch.
“They got out of here last year with a win in the ’Shoe, and they’re a great team,” Buckeye quarterback Troy Smith said. “They have great tradition.
I wish Vince Young was still there so we could have had an all-out battle. ... It’s going to be a great game all the way around. Defensively, they come at you, and offensively we have to put all the pieces together.”
Senior safety Brandon Mitchell said OSU can savor the season-opening 35-12 win against Northern Illinois for a night. That night ended Sunday morning when the Buckeyes started to look at Texas film.
“I’ve been thinking about it ever since the loss last year,” Mitchell said. “There is a bad feeling in your heart when you lose on your own field. We want to try to avenge that loss and feel better.
“It was a tough loss. A lot of guys took it personally. To know we have the opportunity to go there and make them feel the way we felt ... we’ve just got to get ready to play.”
Texas tuned up with a 56-7 blowout of North Texas before a record crowd, still celebrating the Longhorns’ national title.. Texas returns 16 starters from that team, but lost its heart and soul when Young left for the NFL.
New quarterback Colt McCoy looked confident and comfortable against outmatched North Texas. He completed 12-of-19 passes for 178 yards and threw a 60-yard touchdown on his second pass.
“I have to get better,” McCoy told reporters after the game. “We’ve got the No. 1-ranked team in the country coming in here. We want to be ranked No. 1 at the end.”
The Buckeye offense looked flawless in the first quarter at Northern Illinois. Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first four possessions and Smith showed off more than his arm. He showed off his intelligence.
Smith’s film study in the offseason paid dividends. He often threw to second reads, and his pre-snap reads of coverages led to a long TD pass to Ted Ginn Jr.
“We took a step,” Head Coach Jim Tressel said. “Now, the next step is higher, we understand that. But we took a step.”
It was the first time OSU’s offense looked complete in a season opener under Tressel. Usually, his teams have added wrinkles and improved later in the season. If the opener is any indication, the Buckeyes could be looking at a record offensive year.
Tressel said Ohio State’s offense against Northern Illinois was designed for that game. Smith ran just one time. He might run more against Texas.
Running back Antonio Pittman ran hard and fast. The line blocked well.
Well enough for a team like Texas?
“It’s something we’ve been waiting for for a year,” Pittman said. “We need to go to their house and take one back.”
The line play in the first game attracted plenty of attention. Smith was hit just one time passing the ball. Much of the time, OSU ran behind T.J. Downing and Kirk Barton on the right side for large chunks of yardage.
“From where I stood, their technique was excellent and we had the time we needed,” Tressel said. “We’re very aware that the guys rushing the passer next week are going to maybe be a little more skillful than the ones we faced this week, but we got better up there and didn't make assignment errors, and that’s a heck of a start.”
Good enough to stand up under the summer heat in Texas?
DEFENSE QUESTIONS
While Ohio State gave up plenty of yards on the ground, Tressel was pleased with the way his defensive front played.
It is the most experienced group on that side of the ball, and NIU QB Phil Horvath was sacked four times. OSU allowed 343 total yards, and 151 on the ground.
Evaluating the defense on those numbers can be misleading. The Buckeyes played six linebackers and eight defensive backs during the game. It was designed to get them on film, evaluate their play and find the best 11 for the Texas game.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

OSU vs. Texas: Rating the openers



Monday, September 04, 2006

Quarterback
Ohio State: B+. The only reason Troy Smith (18-25, 297 yards, 3 TDs) has his grade lowered is because we know he can do more. He was credited with one rush for minus-1 yard.
Texas: B+. Same thing for redshirt freshman Colt McCoy (12-19, 178 yards, 3 TDs). Unfortunately, expectations are higher in Austin for a running QB. Otherwise, he was right on the mark.
Running Game
Ohio State: B. Good work getting starter Antonio Pittman 111 yards, but there were two fumbles in the red zone. Freshman Chris Wells (10 carries, 52 yards) looked powerful in his first action. Overall, 4.8 yards per carry.
Texas: B. No 100-yard rusher, but Jamaal Charles led the Longhorns with 77 yards on 14 carries. Selvin Young (12 carries, 44 yards) was the No. 2 man. Overall, 4.8 yards per carry (sound familiar?)
Defense
Ohio State: B-. Can't have Mid-American Conference backs gaining 171 yards rushing and catching five passes for 114 yards. Defense was strong up the middle, but showed weakness on the edges.
Texas: A-. Granted, playing an inferior team to NIU, but Longhorns allowed just 95 total yards and forced North Texas starting quarterback Matt Phillips to go 4-of-13 for 22 yards.
Special Teams
Ohio State: B. A.J. Trapasso's one punt went 43 yards and kickoffs from Aaron Pettrey and Ryan Pretorius were strong (3 of 6 were touchbacks). But two missed field goals (51, 44 yards) — granted, on unsure turf — drop the grade.
Texas: B+. Justin Moore and Greg Johnson had three touchbacks in nine kickoffs and Johnson averaged 43.5 yards on two punts. Returning was shaky, but UT made up for it with a blocked field goal in the first quarter.
Shaking the Rust
Ohio State: B+. Had three penalties for 40 yards, but got the ball to three running backs and nine receivers. Nineteen defenders made tackles, and numerous players were shuffled in and out.
Texas: B. Had four penalties for 28 yards and got the ball into the hands of just six receivers (could've had many more touches against North Texas defense). McCoy had the longest run of the day (27 yards).
Overall
Ohio State: B+. Started great with four touchdowns on first four possessions, but then slowed considerably, partly from their own mistakes, both offensively and defensively.
Texas: A-. Looked sharp in debut, not like a team wondering how it's going to replace Vince Young at quarterback. OSU had more yards (488 to 410), but Longhorns turned drives into points.
Why Ohio State Will Win: Quarterback Troy Smith is at his best in big games. The defensive line will put continuous pressure on Longhorns starter Colt McCoy, the redshirt freshman, and give Smith room to be amazing.
Why Texas Will Win: The Longhorns won't fall for the same fakes and play-action that Northern Illinois did. They'll button up the passing game, which will keep the Buckeyes from moving the ball effectively.
— Kyle Nagel, Dayton Daily News

DDN

Games don't get much bigger than OSU-Texas

By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer

Monday, September 04, 2006
I spent part of my Sunday morning — as I'm sure many of you did — reading as much as possible on the University of Texas win from Saturday.
I wasn't so much interested in Colt McCoy's passing numbers or identifying the leading tackler, but I was curious what the Texas football players had to say about Ohio State. Then I came across an article from Chip Brown, the Texas reporter for the Dallas Morning News, that pretty much drove the point home.
"It's about as big as I can remember," Darrell Royal, the former Texas coach, said of the OSU-Texas game.
OK, this is a guy who was in plenty of big games, and apparently he did well enough that the school decided to name its football stadium for him.
So, he knows about big games. He knows this has to be the biggest nonconference game of the season.
And I'm loving it.
Not because I'm rooting for one team more than the other. But just because they're playing.
You know the joke. Teams play their nonconference schedules against schools like Creampuff U. and Can Barely Walk State.
Well, this is different. Not only are Ohio State and Texas playing, but in the coming weeks we'll see Penn State-Notre Dame, Nebraska-Southern California and Oklahoma-Oregon.
It's almost silly to think it has been so hard to schedule the games out of conference that we really want to see.
Not that I'm saying Youngstown State-Penn State isn't a big game.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or [email protected].


DDN

OSU, Texas primed for showdown

Both teams dominate their openers, but both say they have to improve.

By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer

Monday, September 04, 2006
COLUMBUS — These are the numbers we were all waiting to see.
Troy Smith, Ohio State's quarterback, opened his senior season with 297 passing yards, but didn't display the ability to create with his feet.
Colt McCoy, the Texas starter and redshirt freshman, had 178 yards passing in his debut, and three of his seven incompletions were drops.
No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Texas began their seasons about 1,200 miles from each other Saturday with big wins (OSU 35-12 against Northern Illinois, Texas 52-7 against North Texas). It seems everyone had questions, and they were scouring replays and stat sheets for answers.
But, no matter how much they study the numbers, no one can predict exactly what will happen Saturday, when Ohio State travels to face Texas in Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Only one theme seemed to be constant: Both teams said they have to improve from their openers to prepare for Saturday's showdown, considered the premier nonconference game of the season.
"I have to get better. We have the No. 1 team in the nation coming here," McCoy told reporters after the Longhorns' win two days ago. "We want to be ranked No. 1 in the end."

DDN

Buckeyes size up Longhorns

The atmosphere now changes and the preparations ramp up for No. 3 Texas.


By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer

Sunday, September 03, 2006

COLUMBUS — Jay Richardson made sure to flip his television to a certain football game before his own preparations began on Saturday.
"I watched a little bit," said Richardson, an Ohio State senior defensive end, of the Texas-North Texas game.
He saw what the entire country saw — redshirt freshman quarterback Colt McCoy completing 12-of-19 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns as Texas rolled 56-7. North Texas gained just 95 yards on offense (including eight rushing).
"They looked good," Richardson said. "They looked real crisp, they looked like they haven't lost a beat."
Shortly after Ohio State won its own opener 35-12 against Northern Illinois, the Buckeyes' full attention — like the attention of plenty on the college football landscape — turned to Saturday's matchup between No. 1 OSU and No. 3 Texas in Austin.
In the post-game interview room, players spoke of needing improvement after the first game and painful memories from last season's loss to Texas (which, in case you've been in space and without text messaging, the Longhorns won 25-22 in Columbus).
"Coach Tressel addressed that we made some mistakes today and that we have to get better if we want to go down there and compete," said freshman linebacker Ross Homan, a Coldwater product.
For the Buckeyes who, like Richardson, watched some of the game, they saw a familiar face making big plays. Limas Sweed — a name Ohio State fans won't soon forget because of his game-winning, 24-yard touchdown reception against Ohio State last season — had five catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday.
"It'll be different next week," said linebacker James Laurinaitis. "It's gonna be a whole lot different weather-wise, the atmosphere will be totally different. For us who were here last year, we need to remember what happened, we don't want that feeling again."
Last season, coaches plastered the losing score of the 2004 Iowa game across the locker room as motivation leading up to the Hawkeyes' Columbus visit.
There's nothing similar up so far. But, there should be something by early this week.
"There's going to be some kind of ? reminder," Richardson said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or
[email protected]

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Roles reversed in Ohio State-Texas game

Young, Longhorns thrived in '05 meeting; Vols QB Ainge looks good in rout of Cal
By Mike Huguenin
Originally published September 4, 2006
ORLANDO, Fla. // Last season, there were numerous questions about Texas quarterback Vince Young going into the second game of the season - a showdown at Ohio State. While everyone knew Young was a great athlete who could hurt you with his scrambling ability, there were questions about how well he could pass against a legitimate defense. To be fair, there were questions about Texas as a team, too, most notably whether it could win in a hostile environment despite the opponent not having an established quarterback.

Young and the Longhorns answered all the questions. Young threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns in a 25-22 victory that served as a springboard to the national title. Texas out-gained Ohio State 382-255. The Buckeyes and Longhorns meet again this Saturday, and the game again looks as if it will serve as a springboard for national title hopes. This time, it's Texas with questions at quarterback and Ohio State with the established quarterback going into the hostile environment.
No one is questioning Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith. While not as mobile or athletic as Young, Smith is effective both as a drop-back passer and on rollouts. He also has a big-time deep threat in wide receiver Ted Ginn, a big line in front of him and some talented backs behind him.
Like Young last season, Smith will be going against a tough, aggressive, speedy defense. It's hard to find a weak spot on the Longhorns' defense. Look for Ohio State coaches to move Smith around in the pocket in an effort to keep Texas linebackers and safeties occupied.
Although Ohio State has nine new defensive starters, it's hard to believe that Texas redshirt freshman quarterback Colt McCoy is going to have success in the air. If Texas is going to win, running backs Jamaal Charles and Selvin Young and the Longhorns' defense are going to have to carry the day.
"It will be a huge game for us," Texas coach Mack Brown told reporters Saturday night. "We told the guys that normally we wouldn't talk about the next one in the locker room and enjoy the win a little longer, but we told them that this is a special game."
Ohio State fans are expected in droves; the school's alumni association has rented out Texas' basketball arena and plans a three-hour pep rally on game day, complete with words of encouragement from former Buckeyes star Archie Griffin.
Those encouraging words won't mean anything, though, unless Smith plays like Young did last season.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Time to mess with Texas
Buckeyes, Smith ready to double their efforts for rematch with 'Horns

By JON SPENCER
For The Advocate
COLUMBUS -- Safety Jamario O'Neal says No. 1 Ohio State has to increase its focus "times 10" for Saturday's showdown at No. 3 Texas. Quarterback Troy Smith would settle for seeing the Buckeyes double their efforts after playing one good half in the season-opening 35-12 victory over Northern Illinois.
Smith threw three first-quarter touchdowns and the Buckeyes added another score on the first play of the second quarter before nearly 104,000 fans -- and apparently the team they were rooting for -- began dreaming of ways to hook the 'Horns."The common thing in that situation is to let up," said Smith, who threw for 297 yards in his first opening-day start. "We have to maintain that velocity, that strength, that speed the whole time and put points on the board."
It might have been asking too much for OSU to maintain its torrid early tempo against a team favored to win the Mid-American Conference. But slacking off on the scoreboard wasn't the only problem. The Buckeyes fumbled twice inside the 5, missed two field goals and allowed tailback Garrett Wolfe to rack up 285 yards of total offense (171 rushing, 114 receiving).
Meanwhile, the Longhorns made mulch of North Texas as they opened defense of their national championship. Redshirt freshman Colt McCoy threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns as Texas won its 21st straight game in the 56-7 rout before a record crowd of 85,123 in Royal-Memorial Stadium.
Saturday's visit from Ohio State will mark the first time in more than a half-century a No. 1 team other than Texas will play in that venue.
Last year, OSU was No. 4 and Texas was No. 2 when the Longhorns rallied behind quarterback Vince Young for a 25-22 victory in Ohio Stadium. That victory propelled the 'Horns to the BCS title game where they dethroned USC.
"I think I'm looking forward to every week that comes," said Smith, who is 14-2 as a starter. "I don't want to put too much emphasis on one weekend, but it's very, very, very noticeable. I don't know how many times this early in the season you have this kind of game. It's huge."
While Texas is ranked No. 3 in The Associated Press poll, it is No. 2 in the USA TODAY poll.
There have been only 20 regular season No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups, the last on Nov. 30, 1996, when No. 2 Florida State beat No. 1 Florida. A Big Ten team hasn't been part of a regular-season No. 1 vs. No. 2 since No. 1 Notre Dame beat No. 2 Michigan in 1989.
Ohio State has been involved in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game just twice, both times in bowl games. The No. 1 Buckeyes beat No. 2 USC 27-16 in the 1969 Rose Bowl to win the 1968 national championship and took a No. 2 ranking into the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, where they beat No. 1 Miami in double overtime 31-24 to complete a 14-0 season for the 2002 national title.
"We're going to be playing a great team, with great tradition," Smith said. "I wish Vince (Young) were still there so it could be an all-out battle. Offensively, we've got to put it all together."
Smith was shaking off the rust from a two-game suspension when the two teams met last year in week 2. He alternated that night with starter Justin Zwick and neither was very effective. Smith hopes his fast start to this season will make a difference in the rematch.
"I'm sure (last year's inactivity before Texas) can effect any athlete," Smith said, "but you've got to pick it up whenever you're inserted and roll with the punches."
Smith has looked Heisman Trophy worthy in orchestrating two straight wins over Michigan and a 617-yard eruption against Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl, so he's proven he can close.
Against Northern Illinois he also proved he can open. It was his first opening-day start in his five years at OSU and he burst out of the blocks, completing his first five passes. Two of them were TD strikes of 5 and 58 yards to former Glenville sidekick and fellow Heisman candidate Ted Ginn Jr.
But Smith didn't just lock in on Ginn. He hit eight different receivers, giving Texas plenty to think about before the Buckeyes' arrival in Austin.
"Troy played great," said Ginn, who had 192 all-purpose yards on eight touches. "He spent a lot of time in the offseason watching Northern Illinois, watching a lot of games. He's going to put you in positions where you're going to catch the ball."

 

[osugrad21]

Link

McCoy has tools to lead Longhorns

By Jimmy Burch

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

STAR-TELEGRAM/RALPH LAUER
Colt McCoy, left, led Texas to six TDs against UNT, two of which were passes to Limas Sweed.

Colt McCoy, Texas' redshirt freshman quarterback, never has been one to feel overmatched on the gridiron.
His earliest football memory involves a sideline collision. McCoy was a 4-year-old waterboy for San Saba High School, a team coached by his father, Brad. The guy who initiated the contact was one of the teenagers in the game, seeking to make a tackle.
"The play came out of bounds," said McCoy, who chose to stand his ground rather than run. "I thought I was big enough and tough enough to take it."
McCoy's broken collarbone told a different story. Yet it remains, 16 years later, the only injury McCoy has suffered on a football field. Texas' quarterback joked that he got his injury "out of the way early," so he could be more productive when he finally took the field.
For the Longhorns, McCoy turned lots of question marks into exclamation points in Saturday's 56-7 romp over North Texas.
He emerged as the most pleasant surprise of an opening weekend filled with them on the Big 12 football front.
But the McCoy quality that will mean the most to the third-ranked Longhorns (1-0) in this week's showdown against Ohio State (1-0) is not the arm strength, accuracy or poise he showed while leading six touchdown drives in seven possessions against the Mean Green.
It's the can-do spirit he displayed as an undersized waterboy and still flashes as a freshman from a small-town high school seeking to take down the nation's top-ranked team at 7 p.m. Saturday in Austin.
Coaches and teammates are sold enough on McCoy that you can expect him to be the only quarterback who takes snaps against the Buckeyes. And that's a good thing.
For Texas, which went into fall drills wondering if McCoy or true freshman Jevan Snead would emerge as its team leader, having a definite go-to quarterback against Ohio State is huge.
A year ago, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel squandered several possessions in a 25-22 loss to the Longhorns by playing musical quarterbacks. He never found a rhythm with Justin Zwick or Troy Smith and bowed out of the national title race in early September.
At the very least, Texas coach Mack Brown will not make the same mistake. Brown did not dismiss Snead as an option against the Buckeyes but said the Longhorns "made a smart decision" against UNT by letting the flow of the game, rather than a pregame script, determine playing time.
Brown said he'll do likewise against Ohio State, which essentially means it will be McCoy's game to win or lose. At this juncture, McCoy is less prone to error and more poised under pressure than Snead, who was 3-of-7 with an interception against UNT. That is a relatively fresh development but a significant one.
"I thought it was really close at the end of the spring game," said offensive coordinator Greg Davis. "But Colt began to separate some when we started fall drills. I thought he was really sharp in the things he saw and the way he delivered the ball [against UNT]."
That might not translate to a win against Ohio State. But McCoy gives Texas its best chance and deserves to be the guy who shoulders the offensive load on every possession against the Buckeyes.
IN THE KNOW
Quarterback questions
Because five of six teams in the South Division feature unproven starters at quarterback, the Star-Telegram will monitor their progress each week. The Week 1 breakdown:
Colt McCoy, Texas Showed poise, made big plays and avoided turnovers. But the stakes are elevated this week against Ohio State.