Game Thread Game Two: Texas 25, Ohio State 22 (final)

[scarletngrey11]

nice thinking texasfight, that was exactly what i was thinking, i agree that the OU game is more important than the ohio state game, you have to win your conference before you win the national title.

 

[texasfight06]

nice thinking texasfight, that was exactly what i was thinking, i agree that the OU game is more important than the ohio state game, you have to win your conference before you win the national title.

baby steps baby steps baby steps baby steps......

 

[thackattack]

nice thinking texasfight, that was exactly what i was thinking, i agree that the OU game is more important than the ohio state game, you have to win your conference before you win the national title.

Tell that to Nebraska of 2001...they certainly got destroyed in the title game, but they got there without winning their conference. That's the BCS for ya.

 

[BrockSamson]

Playing Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns should give us what we need - let Vince toss the ball around to all the receivers and get all the RBs a bunch of carries.

Mack said the depth chart is really only set for ULL. Seems they expect some changes in WR depending on performances.

 

[scarletngrey11]

but i wonder how the "ragin" cajuns defensive backs would compare to that of ohio states, maybe like a mouse to a lion?

 

[hookemhorns2004]

The depth chart just got uploaded to Mack's website.

No suprises there.

hes getting roasted alive for all of those awards. the rivals michigan board is crying their eyes out because they didnt have the best uniforms, its comical actually that they would be crying because of something like that but its true, maybe they should stop worrying about how they look and play some god damn defense for a change.

Thats pretty funny. :)

definitely. but I am glad as hell that we are playing you guys before OU this year. While I consider the TX-tOSU game to be huge, I don't the outcome being as big of an impact on our season as the OU game. So I am glad that we have a tough road test before the TX-ou game.

As I have said previously, Mack has been a little bit of a puss in the past when it comes to playing tough nonconference schedules---complaining about having to play Arkansas, cancelling a game at Hawaii, talk of calling off tOSU game--but hopefully he will see the benefits of scheduling a tough opponent and do it more in the future.

The guy needs to realize that despite all the pressure on him, if Texas loses one or two non conference games, but is battle tested, beats OU and wins the Big XII and goes to a BCS game, then his season is more successful than going to a BCS game as an at-large. At least in my eyes, and hopefully other Texas fans' eyes.

I would love to see some tough SEC games scheduled, bring back ND in a few years, etc. These Lou-Laf games have been nothing but a preseason game scrimmage which is also good to some extent, but I would rather have a Miami (OH) or hell this year, a UTEP, than Lou-Laf.

Also, what is good for both teams is that it is an early game. If you're gonna lose, you better do it early.

 

[xrayrandy]

hes a tail-back for now, but ive heard that a position change will eventually happen to either fullback or defensive line.

The coaches are making noises like he is a franchise tailback already, so he may stay put.

 

[Trslfan]

I don't think that any one place will be better than another. I think the RV lot was brought up because we could get a prime spot from Scooter and I was planning on renting an RV, but that's not happening now. I don't think it would be a big deal if we set up in the Fawcett Center, we could just walk over to the RV lot and hang out with people or what not. Let's have a vote per se and see what everyone else thinks we should do before we make any decisions. Either way I'm gonna be there whether it's in the RV lot or the Fawcett.

In all honesty the 50$ is too much for me right now to park. If it was 10$ just like the Fawcett I would be all over it . Their is not really a bad spot at the Fawcett. I am planning on being there at 6 am or so with a friend and his wife. Their honestly is not a bad spot at the Fawcett. I try and set up right underneath these 2 trees right directly next to the Fawcett . The bathroom is real close. I work about 3 blocks from the fawcett and may actually try and set up the canopy after I get off work at 12 am so we can have a good spot. I dont want this to fall through because of a simple parking situation.

 

[OSUG314]

#1 - The Big 12 is a very overrated conference. They have terrible bowl records in the last 5 years across the board. Their inter-conference competition in the minds of Big 12 fans is second to none. We all know this is incredibly misguided. Their level of play in the Alamo?

It has been well documented that Lester had other things on his mind at the time. A couple of days ago there was an article in Daily Jokelahoman and Les said his mind wasn't on the game (like any of us didn't already know that).

Remove the "S" from "OSU" . . .

Please don't I actually like tOSU. I don't want tOSU to turn into another UO.

Good Luck on the 10th.

 

[jreal26]

Getting ready for the first game and there are a few things to look for:


1. Big game from the receiver position. From all accounts, the receivers did nothing to separate themselves during camp. We would like to see the receivers step up and make plays down the field vs LaLa.


2. Vince Young to have a solid day passing the football. Hopefully Young will play the entire first half, and possibly one drive into the third quarter. We expect him to look sharp, and in control of the offense. I'm sure we won't show too much, but would like to see that he and the receivers look to be on the same page. It goes without saying we want him to limit his carries in this one and remain injury free.

3. Look sharp in all phases of Special Teams. Look for Richmond McGee to have a solid day on kickoffs. Expect all our special teams units to look solid. Hopefully we will attempt a few 35yd + field goals. We need game situation on field goal attempts.

4. Get the backs plenty of carries!! Young, Charles, and Melton need ample carries in this one. Hopefully the coaches will keep it vanilla, but it would be nice to see each back get enough touches to feel game tested. It will also be interesting to see if Taylor gets some carries in the backfield.

5. Expect a suffocating performance on defense. Adjusting to the new D Coordinator and his play calling in game situation. Chizik calls plays from the booth, a change from Robinson last year. It will be fun to see how the new lbs look in game situation. I'm excited about this group!

6. Avoid the injury bug!! Unfortunately this is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage. It gives the players the chance to showcase the 05 team for the fans. There is no need to run up the score, just control the line of scrimmage and run the offense on O. The defense should try its best to pitch a shutout with mostly second and third teamers in the second half. Hopefully LaLa takes many chances down field, so the secondary will get good work.

Hook Em'

 

[texasfight06]

Getting ready for the first game and there are a few things to look for:


1. Big game from the receiver position. From all accounts, the receivers did nothing to separate themselves during camp. We would like to see the receivers step up and make plays down the field vs LaLa.


2. Vince Young to have a solid day passing the football. Hopefully Young will play the entire first half, and possibly one drive into the third quarter. We expect him to look sharp, and in control of the offense. I'm sure we won't show too much, but would like to see that he and the receivers look to be on the same page. It goes without saying we want him to limit his carries in this one and remain injury free.

3. Look sharp in all phases of Special Teams. Look for Richmond McGee to have a solid day on kickoffs. Expect all our special teams units to look solid. Hopefully we will attempt a few 35yd + field goals. We need game situation on field goal attempts.

4. Get the backs plenty of carries!! Young, Charles, and Melton need ample carries in this one. Hopefully the coaches will keep it vanilla, but it would be nice to see each back get enough touches to feel game tested. It will also be interesting to see if Taylor gets some carries in the backfield.

5. Expect a suffocating performance on defense. Adjusting to the new D Coordinator and his play calling in game situation. Chizik calls plays from the booth, a change from Robinson last year. It will be fun to see how the new lbs look in game situation. I'm excited about this group!

6. Avoid the injury bug!! Unfortunately this is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage. It gives the players the chance to showcase the 05 team for the fans. There is no need to run up the score, just control the line of scrimmage and run the offense on O. The defense should try its best to pitch a shutout with mostly second and third teamers in the second half. Hopefully LaLa takes many chances down field, so the secondary will get good work.

Hook Em'

I am not as afraid of showing too much as you seem to be. Until we do otherwise in a big game, every Bob, Jim and Fran knows that we are going to run the ball to open the pass, or start passing more frequently once we are losing by 15 or more.

It will be nice to get the receivers some actual game time, but these DBs shouldn't be much of a problem. Same thing with the RBs and the OL. I would like to see a lot of Selvin to see how he adjusts and to make sure he is at full strength. Same thing goes for Shipley.

Oh and I want to see Cosby and Taylor flying down the field.

I also want to see three or four of our punts blocked, so that we can trick tOUS into coming after our punter and not setting up a return for Ginn

 

[hookemhorns2004]

I am not as afraid of showing too much as you seem to be. Until we do otherwise in a big game, every Bob, Jim and Fran knows that we are going to run the ball to open the pass, or start passing more frequently once we are losing by 15 or more.

It will be nice to get the receivers some actual game time, but these DBs shouldn't be much of a problem. Same thing with the RBs and the OL. I would like to see a lot of Selvin to see how he adjusts and to make sure he is at full strength. Same thing goes for Shipley.

Oh and I want to see Cosby and Taylor flying down the field.

I also want to see three or four of our punts blocked, so that we can trick tOUS into coming after our punter and not setting up a return for Ginn

ULA LA game will be over before it begins. Even if we have predictable and conservative play calling. Selvin Young will get a lot of work. I think we will score on almost every drive during the first half.

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>August 30, 2005
Time to strap it up <HR width="100%" noShade SIZE=1></TD></TR><TR><TD>Geoff Ketchum
Orangebloods.com Publisher </TD><TD noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Opening comments…

First, it is a great time of the year because of the anticipation. More than at any other time, teams are healthy. Everybody has a chance. We laugh and say that everybody is undefeated, but it's true. Hope is eternal in college football and with college football fans because this year we'll always be better than last year for the coach and for the fans, because that's the way you want to perceive it. You go back and look at what happened with us and Louisiana-Lafayette – they took a 15-play drive in the opening drive of the season and kicked a field goal. We throw an interception and they run it back for a touchdown, and we're down 10-0. Obviously, we came out of it, but it was a scary time.

Ricky Bustle is their head coach and he was at Virginia Tech, and coached Michael Vick. They have seven starters back on offense. They led the Sun Belt in total offense. A lot of the times they'll be a no huddle offense to limit your substitution. Jerry Baab is their quarterback. He completed about 58 percent of his passes and threw 12 touchdowns. They are a 4-3 stack defense. They have not been a blitzing defense. In fact, they have been very, very straight on defense – more of a bend not break. But, you have to prepare for them to blitz because if you're unprepared, the blitz can be one of the things that can change a game. The other thing is the kicking game. Ricky has done a good job of taking the Frank Beamer philosophy in the kicking game and taking it to Louisiana because they've had 16 blocked kicks since he's been there. They have not gone five games without a block of some type and their punter last year downed 14 punts inside the 20-yard line. So, they work really, really hard on field position.

<!--Start Selvin Young 250X200.jpg Image--><SCRIPT language=Javascript>document.write(insertImage('http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/902/168116.jpg', '168116.jpg', 1, 210, 250, 1, 'The Longhorns will looking to get a big day from Selvin Young this weekend.', '', 1125405502000, 'Selvin Young 250X200.jpg', 902, 'Align=Left'));</SCRIPT><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=258 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=252>

</TD><TD width=6 rowSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=right>Associated Press</TD></TR><TR><TD height=3>

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>The Longhorns will looking to get a big day from Selvin Young this weekend.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- End Selvin Young 250X200.jpg Image-->Another stat that is impressive from their standpoint is that in 2003 they scored 107 of their 266 points in the second quarter. In 2004 they scored 100 of their 242 points in the second quarter, so obviously with their offense they are doing a good job of making adjustments in the game and making more plays in the second quarter.

Our concerns for the weekend go back to the improvement in the kicking game. We need to be vastly improved in at least the kickoff coverage and the kickoff returns since the Rose Bowl. In the turnover ratio (last year), we were 32nd in the country, which is not where we would like to be. Those are two huge issues in who wins and loses each Saturday. Lastly, our explosives - we'd like to stretch the field more in the passing game. We had some really long runs, but we didn't have enough deep passes from our standpoint.

Q: Do you use the word upset to your team when talking about this game?

A: No. I really felt like at some point in my past that I've convinced teams that they can get beat by talking about upsets. We never talk about getting beat. We talk about some tough times during a game and you hope them at some time because your team needs to grow up. You get better after you overcome some tough things, but we never ever talk about getting beat. We talk about overcoming tough times with momentum changers in the ball game.

Q: Do you worry in a game like this that they'll come out and throw everything, but the kitchen sink on you, especially on special teams?

A: Yes. We usually go over all of those things and work on them all week, and tell them to anticipate the unexpected. In fact, we say expect the unexpected. It is kind of our theme for the week. On all of those fakes, kickoff returns, onside kicks – it really helps you in preparation because in an opening ball game you just never know. In talking about their defense, we anticipate that they will blitz because they haven't, so we tell our guys not to sit around and watch this film, and think they are not going to blitz.

Q: Is this a better game to have to prepare for the rest of the season than the string of running teams that you faced to open the season last year?

A: Their entire package is well-rounded. They'll throw it, they'll run it, they give you a lot of different sets (and) they give you some no-huddle. They play a stack 4-3, which a lot of people are playing now. They'll still put somebody over the center's nose with the stack and they'll change up their coverages. Like I said, they haven't blitzed as much, but we'll anticipate it.

Q: Is their quarterback "The" guy in that offense?

A: He's their guy. They've got two running backs that are really tough. They do a unique thing in that they will lead block with their fullback and their tailback on draws and sprintouts, so their tailbacks are tough.

Q: How fast is their quarterback?

A: He can move around. He's got really good feet (and) he's a good player.

Q: What are you seeing out of this receiving group that makes you think you'll be able to get more explosive plays this season from them?

A: Experience. We still won't know if Jordan Shipley will be ready to play or not. He'll need to be full-speed (on Monday), so that's a question mark. Billy Pittman is much improved from where he was last year and he will play when we have three wide-outs on the field. Brian Carter was playing well and he was a starter that we listed last season, and then he twisted his knee in the first game, and really didn't overcome it. He played very little. Limas (Sweed) has improved as well. Then you add Ramonce (Taylor), Quan Cosby and hopefully get Jordan back. You've got Nate Jones and Tyrell Gatewood. You've got a lot more guys who are a year older and have played. We have better depth there, more experience and Ramonce and Quan add some extra speed to the group as well (as well) as Billy. He gives you the ability to run after the catch because as quarterback he was able to do that at Cameron Yoe.

Q: Is the depth chart that was released the coach's depth chart?

A: Yeah, it's a little confusing. There are two things I noticed that I would change. I would put Ramonce at tailback, flanker and split end. He will play all three places and if Selvin (Young) came out of the game for some reason, Ramonce would go to tailback at that time for most of the game. The other thing is that both Selvin (Young) and Aaron Ross will return kicks. The last part of rehabilitation for a serious injury is mental. We've hit Selvin quite a bit but until he gets out there Saturday and turns it loose. Richmond McGee will start out doing all three if we played today, but Greg Johnson is punting really well and kicking off. David Pino has gotten well and he is kicking the ball well. We do feel like we have the ability, if we see it wearing on Richmond, to play the other guys. They are good enough to play right now.

Q: What did you see out of Drew Kelson and Rashad Bobino that got them in the starting line-up at linebacker?

A: If you took Bobino, Robert Killebrew, Aaron Harris, Drew Kelson and Eric Hall, they are all five starters. There's very little difference in them when you put them in, except that Aaron has played more and been more experienced. Drew will probably play at Sam. Eric Hall can play Sam and Will. Killebrew can play all three. We felt like that helped us build some depth. We've seen a lot of progress in the last week out of Eric Foreman, so we do feel like all six of those could play in the ball game.

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</TD><TD width=202>

</TD></TR><TR><TD height=3>

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>Big sophomore defensive tackle Frank Okam has emerged as a starter this year. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- End Frank Okam 200X267.jpg Image-->Q: Can you talk about Frank Okam? It looks like he moved ahead of Larry Dibbles on the depth chart.

A: Larry missed the spring and again, this is why this is a little confusing, Larry, Frank and Rod Wright would be the starting defensive linemen. Frank can play both nose (guard) and tackle. Larry is a nose and Rod is a tackle. We would actually rotate those three and then go from there to the other guys. We've got some depth. We feel like all three of those guys deserve to start. Rod has played like he did when he was a sophomore. He had a great spring and pre-season. This is the best I've seen him play in a while. I don't know if he's well. I don't know if it's Frank and Larry being really talented. They are going to have more trouble double teaming him. I'm not sure why, but he's back full-speed and looks really good.

Q: Rod Wright said it would be unacceptable if those three defensive tackles didn't dominate every game that they played this year. Is that the level of expectations that the staff has set for them as well?

A: Yes. We'd like for them to do that in every game and understand that we're going to play some people that have players just like them. That's a good attitude and a load to have taken on, but that's what you have to do to win all of the games.

Q: Besides Jamaal Charles and Henry Melton, do you expect a lot of freshmen to play?

A: Yeah. Quan (will play). We're not sure about Jermichael Finley. The linemen would not. Colt (McCoy) would probably not. Chris Brown may. Roy Miller probably will, but it's hard to say definite because you don't know what happens between now and then. If they practice poorly and I tell you definite, they are all kind of iffy's.

Q: What was Selvin Young's workload like in camp and what convinced you that he was the guy?

A: We think he's 100 percent with his health and the doctors do as well. He's gotten his vision back, he's bigger and stronger (and) he's had good ball protection so it'll be Saturday – we'll see him when you see him, but we think he's ready to go.

 

[gost8]

Either place is fine with me. trslfan.... you won't have to pay $50 either way. You can't park in the RV lot without what they consider an RV. So unless you have an RV you would have to park somewhere else and walk over to the RV lot. (thus you still only pay $10) Setting up early sounds like the plan though. There are gonna be a million people up there, so the earlier the better.

 

[osugrad21]

Being reported on BN that the UoL-L/Texas game may be cancelled due to Katrina.

 

[LightningRod]

Texas would get more of a challenge if its #1 units scrimmaged its #2 units.