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by
Joel Welser
#4 Texas
Longhorns
Big 12
2006 Record: (10-3, 6-2)
Coach: Mack Brown (93-22 at Texas, 179-96-1
overall)
Starters Returning: 13 (6 offense, 6 defense,
1 specialist)
Offensive Starters Lost: RB Selvin Young, TE
Neale Tweedie, OL Justin Blalock, OL Lyle Sendlein, OL Kasey Studdard
Offensive Starters Returning: QB Colt McCoy,
WR Quan Cosby, WR Billy Pittman, WR Limas Sweed, OL Tony Hills, OL Adam Ulatoski
Defensive Starters Lost: DE Tim Crowder, DE
Brian Robinson, CB Tarell Brown, CB Aaron Ross, S Michael Griffin
Defensive Starters Returning: DT Derek Lokey,
DT Frank Okam, LB Rashad Bobino, LB Scott Derry, LB Robert Killebrew, S Marcus
Griffin
Starting Specialists Lost: P Greg Johnson
Starting Specialists Returning: K Ryan Bailey
As usual, the Longhorns are a legitimate national
title contender. Heading into 2006, Colt McCoy was a question mark and today he
is the reigning National Freshman of the Year and the record holder for
touchdown passes at Texas. Question answered. A few questions remain though for
Coach Mack Brown, most notably on the offensive line and in the secondary.
Offense:
McCoy threw for 2,570 yards and 29 touchdowns and
completed 68.2 percent of his passes as a freshman. Injuries have been a
concern, but McCoy bulked up over the offseason in hopes of being able to handle
the physical grind of the Big 12. With the top six receivers returning, McCoy
will have all of his favorite targets back. Limas Sweed, Quan Cosby, Billy
Pittman and Jordan Shipley are an explosive group of receivers. Sweed has the
speed and size to dominate and should put up comparable numbers to his 801 yards
and 12 touchdowns of 2006.
Running back Selvin Young is gone, but Jamaal
Charles is ready to be the premiere back. Charles had more carries than Young
last year and proved he is the real deal. The junior is lightning quick and the
only thing he needs to prove is that he can handle the bulk of the carries week
in and week out. The line will have some retooling to do with the absence of
Justin Blalock, Lyle Sendlein, and Kasey Studdard. Cedric Dockery, who returns
from a knee injury, and Dallas Griffin will join returning starters Adam
Ulatoski and Tony Hills on the line and the unit should be solid.
Defense:
The defense, more specifically the secondary, needs
to improve if Texas wants to avoid another trip to the Alamo Bowl. The Longhorns
ranked 99th in the nation in passing defense and lose three starters.
Somehow three NFL draft picks, two in the first round, resulted in a horrible
secondary. How the new starters play together may be the difference between the
Alamo Bowl and a BCS Bowl. Senior corners Brandon Foster and Ryan Palmer will
get the first shot at a starting gig, but underclassmen Deon Beasley and Chykie
Brown have plenty of potential. Free safety Marcus Griffin is the lone returning
starter and seniors Erick Jackson and Drew Kelson will vie for time by his side.
The big numbers against the secondary are not all
their fault. The system was built around stopping the run and that did not allow
the front seven to get much pressure on the opposing quarterback. With a
talented group up front and coordinator Duane Akina taking sole possession of
the defense, that may change this year. The depth at linebacker is plain
ridiculous. Robert Killebrew, Rashad Bobino and Scott Derry are all returning
starters, but each will be pushed by talented youngsters. Roddrick Muckelroy
figures to get a starting nod after missing most of last season and fellow
sophomores Sergio Kindle and Jared Norton are too talented to leave off the
field.
The Bottom Line:
Frank Okam and Derek Lokey will anchor the middle of
the line and the tackles should get most of the accolades for the nation’s third
best run defense. Ends Aaron Lewis and Brian Orakpo have enough experience to be
solid starters, but they will need to find a pass rush quickly if the defense
wants to protect the inexperienced secondary. The defense simply put too much
pressure on their secondary last year and if that happens again this time
around, the pass defense could be even worse. If that question is not answered,
Texas could head back to San Antonio instead of New Orleans. |
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