Texas Tech gave it their best shot against Kansas State
and lost, while Texas had a headache and barely pulled out a win over Kansas -
a team that hasn't won a Big 12 game in a year and a half! Seth Doege is no longer a Heisman candidate and the Texas
defense has long since been exposed. Welcome to the real world.
Next to Baylor's Terrance Williams, the Red Raiders' Eric
Ward at 6-0, 203 pounds is as good of a threat at wideout as Texas has seen.
Since Texas A&M no longer will go to West Texas, the Longhorns have taken
the Aggies' place as the team Raider fans love to hate.
Because of the collapse of the Longhorn defense as far as
the outside sports world is concerned, this is thought to be a high-scoring
contest.
I might be losing it, or I am blinded by something I saw
Saturday - but Case McCoy, who won Mack Brown's biggest victory in 2011 at
College Station, might have lit the fire this football team needs. Case was
ready when the call came Saturday and his energy and leadership ability made a
difference. It might just be what the Texas team needed.
There are some defensive players at Texas getting better.
Don't laugh. Those who have gotten better include: Steve Edmond at middle
linebacker, and Desmond Jackson, Malcolm Brown and Ashton Dorsey up front. Of
course, Alex Okafor is making plays, and finally cornerbacks Quandre Diggs and
Carrington Byndom have awakened from their post Oklahoma nightmare.
So this is what I expect in Lubbock - Case McCoy to be on
fire with Johnathan Gray taking many snaps at running back and the Texas
defense having its greatest day of the season.
The change in quarterbacks with 9:41 left in the game
against Kansas was gutsy by Mack Brown and it was just the pressure-packed
change that will give Texas the new life they need to go to Lubbock. David Ash
looked tired of the disappointments and the pressure of being the quarterback
at Texas. Case McCoy was excited and ready and the Longhorns should be
energized to make their move. I call it Texas 38, Texas Tech 27.
If Case doesn't start, Ash better be out of his funk!
Hook'em
Pat
Pat Culpepper played for The University from 1960-62 and graduated
from UT with a B.A. degree with honors in history. He coached college football
for 12 years as an assistant at Texas, Colorado, Tulane, Baylor and Memphis
State and was head coach at Northern Illinois from 1976-79. He also spent 16
years as a high school coach in Texas at Midland, Lufkin, Galveston Ball,
Westfield and his hometown of Cleburne. He was selected to the Longhorn Hall of
Honor in 1991. His commentary appears regularly in the Inside Texas magazine
and at InsideTexas.com.
