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UT's Brown selling underdog role
Longhorns picked to finish behind OU
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- The vast majority of college football coaches come before the media masses each summer and swear they pay little or no attention to preseason magazines, polls and prognostications.
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Texas coach Mack Brown usually has been, perhaps, the most high-profile member of this group of rolling eyes. But this year, not so much. In fact, Brown greeted reporters Wednesday as the final coach to speak at Big 12 Conference media days here by committing what some in his profession would certainly consider heresy. Brown admitted in public that he, his assistant coaches and players have taken notice of the fact so few seem to believe the Longhorns have the stuff to win the Big 12 South Division, let alone compete for a national championship.
Texas was picked to finish second in the division by media who cover the league, but received only two first-place votes. The Longhorns' bitter rival Oklahoma received the other 49 first-place votes and is considered a potential national title contender. The Sooners are trying to win their third consecutive conference champ-
ionship.
"This is the first timewe've been the underdog for awhile," Brown said. "It's a different role for us, and it seems to be motivating our guys."
The Longhorns, who play Colorado for the first time in two years since a 70-3 shellacking in the Big 12 title game in 2005, have won at least 10 games in seven consecutive seasons. The team plays in a recently renovated stadium in Austin, Texas, that will seat somewhere around 98,000 people this season, and you can bet all those seats will be full.
Brown and his assistants regularly have their pick of the best 20 high school football players in one of the most talent-rich states in the nation. Considering all those factors, Brown was asked how he sells the underdog role to his team with a straight face. He blushed a little but said it hasn't required much of a sales job.
"As you look at the schedule, it looks like a very, very difficult task for us," he said. "And I think there's a little buzz within our team and our coaches about the fact that some don't think we're ready for that."
The Longhorns play nine teams this season that appeared in bowl games last year. They host Florida Atlantic, Arkansas and Rice and travel to Texas-El Paso before taking on a conference slate that includes games against North Division powers Missouri and Kansas and what he called "an improving Colorado team."
Brown will bring the Longhorns to Boulder on Oct. 4 figuring to meet a hostile crowd and a CU senior class hoping for any small measure of payback for that epic loss in Houston back in 2005 during Texas' run to the national title.
A recruiting battle last fall over CU freshman running back Darrell Scott ended in February with some in Texas claiming Colorado cheated to land Scott. That argument could reignite leading up to the game.
"The air will be light. I know that," Brown said downplaying his first trip to Boulder since 2004. "It will be full because it's been full every time we've been up there. There is enough Texans that move to Colorado for the summer so there's a natural rivalry between the two. Dan (Hawkins) has done a good job and they're competitive. So it will be like it is everywhere else we go to play."
Ho-hum.
Brown is quietly excited about his team, which features what he called a nice blend of experience and young talent. Colt McCoy is one of 10 returning starting quarterbacks in the league and will be looking to atone for a mediocre 2007.
"This is more of a team than we've been since I've been here," McCoy said. "We do things together on an off the field. We're showing up for workouts and nobody is missing. So we're really focused on this."
Texas lost only two games a year ago, but the perception was the program had slipped at least slightly, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Longhorns gave up at least 25 points in each of their final four conference games and a bowl victory over Arizona State.
The player Brown might be most excited about this season is fifth-year senior defensive end Brian Orakpo, who returns after missing four games last year with a right knee injury. Brown said Orakpo is as good as any defensive lineman he has coached.
That certainly won't be overlooked or underappreciated.
"Who knows? We probably are underdogs and that's just great motivation for us and a great tool that we can use to work even harder," Orakpo said. "I feel like the sky is the limit for us."
Posted by Ralphie2 on July 24, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What an idiot.
Posted by SnowBuff on July 24, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This game is a real bellweather for the Team. CU needs to win or really push Texas to show progress. WVU and FSU are both good teams, but they are not in the big 12 and one is entirely dependant on a single player or two (White, Devine) while the other is going through old coach syndrome.
Three years ago we lost 70-3 showing one of the biggest talent differences I have ever seen. If our athleticism even comes close to Texas's in this game (it should, though it is young), we will know that CU is on the right track.
Also, I friggen HATE TEXAS. I want to wup them bad. McCoy is due for another Mediocre year. Everyone should read the SMQ study on QB's that he did this last summer, it is very revealing.
Posted by BuffNut99 on July 24, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That 70-3 game was part talent (hello, nobody could stop Vince Young that year, USC gave up 41 to them with a month to prepare), but mostly mental. CU was totally demoralized going into the game and without an identity or direction (everyone knew Barnett was likely gone), and the defense, which is mostly psychological (tackling is an attitude) got embarassed. That was rough.
Can't wait to get Texas at home this year. They only have Arkansas to test them early on, and CU will be well-tested and quite possibly on a huge roll when the Horns come to town. Horns could have trouble running the ball this year, and McCoy is INT-prone.
Posted by dabuffs50 on July 24, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Where are the Buffs articles??????
Posted by Black_Rob on July 24, 2008 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Blitzing Klatt in the 4th quarter with that lead was messed up. I'm a certified Mack Brown hater as a result.
Posted by neb_cu_buff on July 24, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't like Texas much either and Mack Brown is a big tool. Biggest BSer in the league. Texas fans aren't too bad really, they are just a lil obnoxious and are very vocal. But now with the whole Darrell Scott thing, they are acting like A-holes now, so I am losing respect for them too.... Can't wait for the Texas game at Folsom, and I really can't wait for that darn first game of the year already!!! Beat up CSU!... Go Buffs!. nebraska sucks
Posted by edawg on July 24, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)
70-3 in Houston was the Worst game ever. There were two good moments in the game: Ralphie running at the start, and an early TO by Texas. After that it was pure misery and nothing but abuse from the Texas fans at Reliant Stadium. The Buffs will need to be at their peak for this homecoming showdown in Boulder. For some reason I feel good about this one.
Posted by extrapoint on July 24, 2008 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Brown is one of the biggest underacheivers in college football. He has plenty of overachieving players every year but cant beat OU or win a NC without Vince Young. I'm going to get more flack for not mentioning the rest of the Texas team in that NC but the if you watched the game against USC, Vince was definitely the deciding factor. On that last touchdown everyone knew who was going to tote it and they still couldnt stop him. Bush ran out of bounds all night long and should have been second in the heisman voting.
But I digress.
If TX does not beat OU a couple years in a row as well as at least playing in a NC game, Mack will be shown the door.
Texas fans arent any better than their weedpatch brothers in Lincoln. They are all spoiled. They get more 4 and 5 star talent than anyone this side of OSU and USC but cry like babies when they lose Scott.
Posted by flabuff227 on July 24, 2008 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My opinion- vince young single -handedly won that game.
Mack brown isnt a good coach! Hes been fortunate. The guy sits back in his office and watches recruits come to him! and thats not because of him!
i recall a game when cu was completely outmatched. And went on to win the big 12.
Point being: put vince young on any team and see what happens. mack will never win one again.
Oh! If mack got off his a** he might be able to recruit out of state.
Posted by hershalsavage on August 7, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Funny, Texas has as much Talent as any team in the country and has the typically cream puff non-conference schedule (except maybe Arkansas but they've sucked recently) But, I guess Mack has to do something to get them fired up. They usually have at least one or two games every year where they don't show up at all (see KSU last year)
Hopefully, that will be in Boulder this years. We'll see.
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