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DOUBLE presents
COVERAGE Friday, December 4, 2015
10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
ONE DECADE LATER
THEN page 8 NOW page 10
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Friday, December 4, 2015
FRAMES featured photo
thedailytexan
THE LINE UP Players to Watch Page 4
Texan Staff Picks Page 13
Scenarios Page 5
Heisman Watch Page 14
By the Numbers Page 7
Big 12 Power Rankings Page 14
Season Breakdown Page 10
Games to Watch Page 15
FEATURES
McCoy era marks beginning of Double Coverage
Page 6
Editor remembers favorite Double Coverage moments
Page 8
Editor proud of Double Coverage’s 10 years Page 9 Ellyn Snider | Daily Texan Staff
Redshirt freshman cornerback John Bonney (24), junior defensive tackle Paul Boyette Jr. (93), and another Longhorn defensive player make a play against Texas Tech on Nov. 26.
DOUBLE
presents
COVERAGE Vol. 10, Issue 13
Friday, December 4, 2015
Double Coverage Editor...................................Nick Castillo Design Editor..................................................Iliana Storch Photo Editor......................................................Amy Zhang Copy Editor.............................................Blanche Schaefer Cover Photo.............................Brian Ray/Daulton Venglar Writers: Jacob Martella Claire Cruz
Akshay Mirchandani
Jori Epstein
Blanche Schaefer
Jason Epstein Jillian Kushner
Ezra Siegel Aaron Torres
EDITOR’S NOTE Double Coverage has survived 10 years. What a time to be alive! The publication has become a big part of the Texan’s football coverage. It wouldn’t be what it is today without the hard work of editors and writers past. It’s been an honor to build off the efforts of my predecessors. I won’t lie, this semester’s Double Coverage has been difficult, from the limited space to the strange ads — looking at you, illicit drug show ad. But we’ve pressed on. I can’t fully express the amount of gratitude I have for my editors and writers – thanks for keeping Double Coverage great. Here’s to the 10th anniversary and to another strong 10 years.
Texas looks toward future Page 11
10 ofYEARS Editors
Nick Cremona, Double Coverage Editor 2012
Eric Ransom, Sports Editor 2006 Ryan Killian, Sports Editor 2007
Christian Corona, Double Coverage Editor 2013
Colby White, Double Coverage Editor 2008 David R. Henry, Double Coverage Editor 2009
Stefan Scrafield, Double Coverage Editor 2014
Will Anderson, Double Coverage Editor 2010 Sammeer Bhuchar, Double Coverage Editor 2011
Nick Castillo, Double Coverage Editor 2015
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Friday, December 4, 2015
KEYS TO THE GAME
By Akshay Mirchandani @amirchandani41
YOUNG PLAYERS NEED TO MAKE A STATEMENT Freshman running back Chris Warren made a statement against Texas Tech. He ran 25 times for 276 yards and four touchdowns in the absence of running backs sophomore D’Onta Foreman and senior Johnathan Gray. Not everyone is going to perform like Warren did, but seeing some of the young players have a big day would be a nice lead-in to 2016. Freshman wide receiver John Burt could show that Texas might actually have a future in the passing game. Whether redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard actually plays remains to be seen, but if he does, a big game could do wonders for his confidence heading into next season.
BE PREPARED FOR AN ANGRY BAYLOR TEAM Nothing has gone right for Baylor over the past few weeks. It lost junior quarterback Seth Russell for the season, paving the way for freshman Jarrett Stidham to take the reins under center. Then the Bears lost to Oklahoma, putting a dent in their Big 12 title chances. In the process, they lost Stidham to a neck injury and turned to redshirt sophomore Chris Johnson at quarterback. The final nail in the coffin came when Baylor lost to rival TCU in double-overtime in Fort Worth while Oklahoma beat Oklahoma State, ending the Bears’ Big 12 chances. Texas needs to be ready for a Baylor team with a chip on its shoulder. The Bears were Big 12 contenders, and it just didn’t go their way. There’s no doubt they’ll want to end the 2015 regular season with a bang.
FINAL GAME This will be the Longhorns’ final game of 2015 since they aren’t bowl eligible. Texas needs to play for pride and try to put on a show. The Longhorns have nothing to lose, so why not try to make things exciting for the last game?
afield, 2014
Ellyn Snider | Daily Texan Staff
stillo, Freshman running back Chris Warren takes a handoff from junior quarterback Tyrone 2015 Swoopes. Warren ran for 276 yards and four touchdowns in his freshman starting debut.
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Friday, December 4, 2015
PLAYERS TO WATCH By Blanche Schaefer @schaefer_bb
Wide receiver Corey Coleman Redshirt junior Corey Coleman is one reason Baylor runs the nation’s top scoring offense. He’s the No. 3 receiver in the country with an average of 119.5 yards per game. Coleman is also the Big 12’s leading scorer with 10.9 points per game. Coleman is one of the most explosive players on Baylor’s roster – he’s scored 20 touchdowns for the Bears this season alone. He’s hailed as one of the premier players in college football and was recruited for a variety of positions – Texas wanted him as an athlete and Oklahoma wanted him at cornerback. Now he’s becoming one of the best receivers in Baylor history. But Coleman is not unstoppable. Iowa State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State all held him to less than 90 yards. He only had one catch for eight yards last week against TCU. The Texas defense has the potential to limit Coleman as well – but it won’t be an easy feat.
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Running back Shock Linwood Redshirt junior Shock Linwood was the Big 12’s top rusher several weeks ago, but knee and ankle issues slowed him down since Baylor’s win over Oklahoma State. He was listed as “questionable” last week before the TCU game, but managed to grind out 58 yards on 14 carries in the double-overtime Baylor loss. Linwood has rushed for 1,298 yards this season and 10 touchdowns, with a season-high 221 yards against Texas Tech. Texas lost several key defensive players to injuries last week. If Linwood is healthy Saturday, he could gash the depleted Longhorn defense and reclaim his top spot among Big 12 rushers.
formance against the Cowboys. His inexperience showed against TCU, and the Texas defense must exploit that weakness if the Longhorns hope to stop the No. 1 scoring offense in the country.
Defensive end Shawn Oakman Shawn Oakman towers at 6 feet 9 inches and 275 pounds. The massive defensive end anchors the Baylor defense and is one of the most-feared defenders in the conference. He’s No. 2 in the Big 12 in tackles for loss with an average of 1.4 per game. He made headlines last week for a monstrous hit on TCU punter Ethan Perry after Perry fumbled the snap. The Texas offensive line needs to be on overdrive Saturday with Oakman in the trenches. Quarterback Chris Johnson Redshirt sophomore Chris Johnson is the Bears’ thirdstring quarterback, but he’s proved an asset after seasonending injuries to both starters. Backup freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham broke his ankle two weeks ago against Oklahoma State. Johnson took over in the second half and led then-No. 10 Baylor to a 45-35 upset victory over then-No. 6 and unbeaten Oklahoma State. Johnson passed for 138 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 42 yards and one touchdown. He was less effective last week against TCU, but kept the Bears in the game until the very end – a double-overtime 28-21 loss. Johnson only completed 7-of-24 passes for 62 yards and one touchdown. He was ranked the No. 5 dual-threat quarterback by ESPN out of high school, and he’s also spent some time at receiver for Baylor. Johnson proved his potential in his per-
Running back Shock Linwood
WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP THE DEFENSE The Texas defense will have to bring its A-game to beat Baylor’s insane offense. Against Texas Tech, the Longhorn defense allowed 665 yards and 48 points. This type of play cannot happen against Baylor. If Baylor gets 600 yards, the score will be unimaginable. The defense needs to show up like it did against Oklahoma. Baylor’s Heisman-candidate receiver Corey Coleman is a force on the offense. Coleman has over 1,300 yards on the season and 20 touchdowns. He knows how to get down the field fast and efficiently. If the Longhorns want to stay in this game, they will have to stop Coleman and Baylor’s offense. Once the Bears get a lead, there is no stopping them.
fourstarevents@trudys.com
TEXAS COACHES This game will be a huge test for the Longhorns as a whole,
By Jillian Kushner Daily Texan Columnist @jilliankushner
but especially the coaching staff. Against Oklahoma, everyone stepped up to the plate, coaches included. Against TCU, no one stepped up. This game against Baylor can either be an Oklahoma effort or a TCU effort — it’s heavily depedent on the coaches. The play-calling for this game will be crucial. If something is not working early on, it needs to go. Repeating the same plays over and over with hope that it may eventually work is not going to fly against Baylor. The Bears’ defense is not on par with the offense, but it can still make stops. If Texas’ play is too predictable — as it has been the entire second half of the season — Baylor will catch on and dominate. The coaches need to show what they can do under pressure.
STEP UP page 5
Opinion-5 5
Friday, December 4, 2015
boys. owed Texas that orns the oring the
SCENARIOS By Jillian Kushner @jilliankushner
Texas wins if…
The offense can keep up. Baylor is an offensive machine and has been for the last few seasons. The Bears are not afraid to run up the score on anyone. The fewest points Baylor has scored this season is 21, which was last weekend against TCU in a 28-21 double-overtime loss. Baylor will move the ball and move it fast. If the Longhorns get behind, they’re done. Baylor is now playing with third-string quarterback Chris Johnson. The redshirt sophomore already has 200 passing yards and three touchdowns after two games. Junior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes — who will be starting against Baylor — only has 386 passing yards all season. Baylor is known for explosive pass plays downfield, and Texas will need to find a way to match this style of play. This means no more hand-offs on every single down. It is time for Texas to get the pass game going, which means playing more receivers than just seniors Daje and Marcus Johnson, freshman John Burt and sophomore Armanti Foreman. Texas needs to use sophomore Lorenzo Joe, as he’s had some success on the field. The Longhorns also need to use freshmen Ryan Newsome and DeAndre McNeal and junior Jacorey Warrick. Baylor has too many offensive targets for Texas to only stick with three or four receivers. The defense can stop Corey Coleman. Junior wide receiver Corey Coleman emerged as a Heisman candidate midway through the season, and his stats explain why. Coleman has 1,314 yards and 20 touchdowns. He averages 19.6 yards per catch. Coleman might be the biggest challenge the Texas defense has faced all season. He will expose the weaknesses in the defense if given the chance. Coleman is not the only concern for the Texas defense. Baylor’s explosive offense is unlike anything Texas has faced. Baylor may have a 9-2 record, but they are by no means a two-loss team. The Longhorns should handle this game as if they are playing an undefeated squad. This game needs the mentality the Texas-Oklahoma game had — Texas needs to bring the team who upset OU.
Texas loses if… Texas plays like Texas. The Longhorns are a 21-point underdog heading into Saturday’s game. Texas’ chances of winning this game are extremely slim, but it can be done. If the Texas that lost to Texas Tech shows up, there is no chance for the Longhorns. While Texas’ running game was great on Thanksgiving, the defense still allowed 665 yards and 48 points. Texas Tech’s offense may be good, but Baylor’s is great in comparison. Texas also had two turnovers and lost a handful of players to injury. Texas needs to play like a different team to win this game, because playing like it usually does will result in a loss.
STEP UP
continues from page 4 ALL THE PLAYERS The team took a handful of hits with injuries last week against Texas Tech. Texas is at even more of a disadvantage without sophomore running back D’Onta Foreman, senior linebacker Peter Jinkens, senior running back Johnathan Gray and possibly freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson. Other players need
to fill these roles. Against Texas Tech, freshman running back Chris Warren filled Gray and Foreman’s place by putting up 276 yards and 4 touchdowns. Warren went off against the Red Raiders, but Texas Tech is not Baylor. Warren needs another game like that for Texas to compete against the Bears. The other players at injury-depleted positions need to take notes from Warren. Redshirt freshman starting quarterback
Jerrod Heard went down with a head injury against Texas Tech, so junior backup quarterback Tyrone Swoopes will start against Baylor. Swoopes needs to perform like he never has before. Most importantly, Swoopes needs to establish a passing game. Baylor’s biggest strength is the passing game. The Longhorns need to keep up and score whenever the Bears do. Texas’ running game alone cannot do this.
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Friday, December 4, 2015
Former editor reflects on Double Coverage’s first year
DC10 Editor’s Note: Killian wrote for The Daily Texan from spring 2004 to spring 2008, served as the sports editor during spring 2007 and was a member of the original Double Coverage staff.
By Ryan Killian Sports Editor 2007
The 2006 season started with expectations that, while sky-high by present standards, seemed subdued at the time. The Longhorns were defending national champions, but their quarterback had left for the NFL. In my first year covering football for The Daily Texan, I summed up the feeling surrounding the team: “Texas football is entering its 113th season, but with the early exit of already-legendary Vince Young, it seems time to reset the count. This is 1 AVY, the first year after Vince Young.” The start of 1 AVY turned out to be the beginning of another era — the Colt McCoy era. Few thought the Longhorns could repeat without Young. But general consensus was that, just maybe, if they could beat Ohio State in their second game, they might have a chance. I arrived at the Texan in the spring of 2004. While thrilled to get the men’s golf beat, my goal from the very beginning was to cover the football team. After working my way up from men’s golf to women’s swimming to softball to women’s basketball, I finally arrived. The season was one to re-
member. McCoy cemented the starting job on opening day. The Longhorns beat North Texas 56-7 to set up a showdown with Ohio State. It was my first big game to cover and witness. The press box was full of nationally known sportswriters, and I wisely put my head down and pretended I belonged. I didn’t get caught up in the excitement, likely because there was little to get excited about. The Longhorns lost 24-7 in a game that never felt competitive. Once Ohio State was in the rearview mirror, the team and I settled into a routine. I attended media availability sessions during the week, wrote a preview and an extra story or so to help fill out Double Coverage at the end of the week, and then recapped a Texas win in Monday’s paper. Texas did the winning part. For the first seven weeks, we didn’t even leave the state of Texas. The team’s first genuine road trip was in October, when the Longhorns played Nebraska. The game is something of a classic. Redshirt freshman walk-on kicker Ryan Bailey came off the bench to kick a gamewinning field goal, but I’ll always remember how the game tested sportswriters. Memorial Stadium had been dusted with snow intermittently during the game, and it fell even as Bailey prepared to kick. A game-winning kick in the snow? That’s drama. And then it stopped. Even as I recorded the snow’s end in my notebook, I wondered who among my colleagues might spice up the event with a dash of falling snow. At least one did. But, that’s not the way
it happened. Texas was on the road again the next week and didn’t slow down, notching a dramatic 35-31 win over Texas Tech. The Daily Texan sportswriting team, however, nearly ran out of gas on the drive to Lubbock. After a win the next week, the Longhorns were 9-1 and ranked fifth in the BCS standings. When No. 3 Louisville lost the following Thursday, a BCS berth seemed realistic. Then, in a bit of foreshadowing, McCoy injured his neck sneaking into the end zone for an early score against Kansas State. The Longhorns lost that game and then lost again the next week to rival Texas A&M. A win in the Alamo Bowl made it a tenwin season, but like 2009, we’ll always wonder what might have happened if McCoy hadn’t been injured.
May-Ying Lam (top) Erik Reyna | Daily Texan file photos
Top: Then-senior Colt McCoy scrambles in the 2009 Big 12 Championship game against Nebraska on Dec. 5, 2009. McCoy was a redshirt freshman in 2006 when Double Coverage was conceived. Bottom: McCoy high-fives fans during his senior season after defeating Kansas, 51-20 at Darrell K Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium on Nov. 11, 2009
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Friday, December 4, 2015
DC10
BY THE NUMBERS By Jason Epstein @jwepstein96
Since the 2005 Rose Bowl, the Longhorns have won five bowl games.
.687 Texas’ winning percentage over the past ten seasons. Since Mack Brown left two seasons ago, it has dropped to .417, and Texas has won just 10 of 24 games.
5
10
The number of senior football players graduating this fall.
13,253
The number of passing yards recorded by Colt McCoy from 2006-2009. He holds the school passing record and is trailed by Major Applewhite by more than 4,000 yards.
74
The number of Texas lifetime victories over Baylor. Texas has lost just 26 times and tied four times for an overall .731 winning percentage.
The final AP ranking of Texas in 2006. The Longhorns were named No. 3 in the preseason rankings after winning the Rose Bowl the year prior. They edged Iowa in the Alamo Bowl 26-24 to conclude the season 10-3.
831
The number of rushing yards recorded by Jamaal Charles in 2006. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and rushed for seven touchdowns — both career lows in his time at Texas.
84
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276
The number of rushing yards recorded by freshman running back Chris Warren last week. He broke three freshman records and reached the end zone four times.
Texas is one of seven schools this season with both a rushing and pass play of at least 84 yards. TCU is the only other Power Five Conference program that falls into that category.
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DC10 Editor’s Note: Ransom wrote for The Daily Texan from 2003-2007, was the sports editor in fall of 2006 and was editor of the original Double Coverage.
A LOOK BACK AT DO
By Eric Ransom Sports Editor 2006
Double Coverage evolved out of special sections we previously published for The Daily Texan during home football games. We never branded these sections, but after lots of brainstorming over the summer of 2006, we landed on the name Double Coverage. It was a great way to give extra coverage of home football games. The sections also gave younger writers a chance to contribute to football coverage — something normally given to our older and saltier writers. We published seven issues in our first year, and we had a lot of fun coming up with covers. From what I recall, they included: — Having staffers try to draw a Bearkat for Sam Houston State, since no one know what the heck a Bearkat was — Making a Longhorn out of ground beef and hot dogs for our tailgating issue — For our Texas-OU game issue, creating a boxing title card that featured “Yo” Adrian Peterson vs. “Iron” Michael Griffin Perhaps the craziest issue we produced was our secondever Double Coverage in 2006, when No. 2 Texas played No. 1 Ohio State in Austin. For starters, two Longhorns were arrested the week of the game and were suspended for part of the season. We needed someone to cover the press conference for the arrest, and I distinctly remember giving Ricky Treon my shirt so he could attend the press conference. For some reason, he chose to wear a burnt orange shirt that day. On top of that, Dave Garlock, one of our beloved journalism professors, was hit by a car crossing Guadalupe on the day we closed the issue. I think I left the basement around 1 a.m. on the night we published, but we still published the issue. Since then, it has made us alums of The Daily Texan sports department immensely proud to see the special sections continue on to this day.
Then-junior quarterback Vince Young rushes against USC in Texas’ 41-38 Rose Bowl win in 2006. Double Coverage was launched the
TEXAS TEN YEAR TIMELINE By Nick Castillo @Nick_Castillo74
2005-2006
Texas wins its first national championship since 1970, led by junior quarterback Vince Young in a thrilling 41-38 victory over USC in the Rose Bowl.
2006-2007
2007-2008
McCoy suffered through a sophomore slump, but the Longhorns replicated their success from the previous season. Texas finished a 10-3 record with a 52-34 win over Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Colt McCoy becomes the Longhorns’ starting quarterback. McCoy led Texas to a 10-3 record with a 26-24 win over Iowa in the Alamo Bowl.
2008-2009
2009-2010
McCoy returns for his senior year and leads Texas to an un season. The Longhorns played Alabama in the BCS Nationa game. McCoy injured his shoulder during Texas’ opening dr return. The Crimson Tide defeated the Longhorns 37-21.
The Longhorns defeat Oklahoma in an exhilarating 45-35 win to increase their national championship hopes. But a 39-33 loss to Texas Tech halted those dreams. The Longhorns finished in a three-way tie for the Big 12 title and were left out of the national championship game. Texas won the Fiesta Bowl 24-21 over Ohio State.
2010-2011
Texas finishes the at 5-7 – its first lo season since 199
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OUBLE COVERAGE
Editor’s Note: Treon wrote for The Daily Texan, was a member of the original Double Coverage staff and served as the Texan’s sports editor during the spring of 2008.
By Ricky Treon
Sports Editor 2008
Brian Ray | Daily Texan file photo
e following season after the Daily Texan’s special football editions were successful.
2012-2013
ndefeated al Championship rive and didn’t
e season osing 97.
DC10
2014-2015
Texas plays an up-and-down season, including a 63-21 loss to Oklahoma. The Longhorns end the season with a 31-27 win over Oregon State in the Alamo Bowl and a 9-4 record.
2011-2012
Junior quarterback Garrett Gilbert struggles in his first two games and is replaced by the combo of David Ash and Case McCoy. The Longhorns finished with an 8-5 record and a 21-10 win over California in the Holiday Bowl.
My favorite story of The Daily Texan’s Double Coverage tab took place at Fair Park in Dallas. As the Texan crew and I walked into the Cotton Bowl to cover my final Red River game as a staffer (I was assistant sports editor at the time), I noticed an older fan reading Double Coverage. He wasn’t a student — perhaps he was in the Darrell Royal days — and yet he was reading what was then a fairly new publication. As we approached the media entrance, I spotted fan after fan gobbling up the stats, rosters, features and insights the staff and I had put together. The game — especially at that time — was one of the biggest in college football. And a lot of fans were reading Double Coverage to get their final pregame analysis and information. Talk about exciting. Turns out this tab wasn’t just for our enjoyment as sports writers — many of whom were also trying to get clips published for future job prospects. It wasn’t just to get more advertisers to pay for real estate next to Longhorn news. The public at large, away from campus, was using our information and knowledge to enhance their game-day experience. Looking back at the evolution of Double Coverage, I am still impressed at the diversity of content we were able to present to our readers. My favorites were the features. You got a chance to highlight players, whether it was Colt McCoy or the second-string defensive lineman who works with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. But in addition to those spectacular stories, we found a way to analyze the game that requires less attention, such as Keys to the Game and other short, insightful nuggets. It was a style that was almost foreign to me. Journalism classes taught story structure and AP style, not how to break down Texas’ run game in 20 words or less —what we now call tweeting. But as we developed the style, we realized how much more information we could get to the fans. I am proud to have been one of the early contributors and influencers of Double Coverage. I’m also proud that it’s still around 10 years later.
Charlie Strong is hired as the Longhorns’ new head coach. Ash suffered a concussion and retired. Sophomore Tyrone Swoopes assumed the starting position, and Texas had a challenging season. Texas finished on a two-game losing skid with a 31-7 loss to Arkansas to conclude a 6-7 season.
2013-2014
Texas struggles against BYU and loses 40-21. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was fired soon after. But the Longhorns roll into Dallas and upset Oklahoma 36-20. Texas played Baylor in the de-facto Big 12 Championship game but lost 30-10. Head coach Mack Brown announced his retirement and coached his last game at Texas in a 30-10 loss to Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
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2015 SEASON BREAKDOWN By Nick Castillo & Ezra Siegel
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20
30
50
40
VS. Disaster in South Bend Notre Dame 38, Texas 3 In a sold-out Notre Dame Stadium, the Longhorn faithful made the trek to South Bend, Indiana. They hoped to see an improved offense and a strong defense, but what they saw was more of the same. Texas’ new offense made a disappointing debut, while its defense was gashed by Notre Dame’s offense as the Fighting Irish rolled to a 38–3 win.
VS. Jerrod Heard era begins against Owls Texas 42, Rice 28
VS. Longhorns fall 1 point short California 45, Texas 44 Redshirt freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard walked into the press room, his face red and blinking back tears. A furious fourth-quarter comeback had fallen 1 point short. Cal beat the Longhorns 45-44 on Sept. 19. Heard led the Texas offense down the field 7 points behind California with 1:51 remaining. With one last gallop and the sound of 91,568 fans anxiously hoping for an answered prayer, the redshirt freshman quarterback ran 45 yards for a Texas touchdown to bring it within 1 … But what Heard nor his teammates expected was for senior kicker Nick Rose to miss the extra point wide right.
40
30
20
10
VS. Punting snafu leads to loss to Cowboys Oklahoma State 30, Texas 27
VS. Blowout in Fort Worth TCU 50, Texas 7 Head coach Charlie Strong said Sept. 28 the Longhorns would need to play over their heads to beat No. 4 TCU on the road. It turns out, that may have been an understatement … The Longhorns were dominated from start to finish in their 50-7 loss to the Horned Frogs. TCU has now defeated Texas in back-to-back years for the first time since 1958-59.
VS. Shutout in Ames Iowa State 24, Texas 0 Texas wasn’t expecting Iowa State to lie down. The Cyclones entered the matchup at 2-5, but head coach Charlie Strong and the Longhorns knew they’d come to play … It turned out the Longhorns were the ones who failed to show up. Texas lost to the Cyclones in Ames, Iowa, for the first time in school history in a 24-0 shutout Oct. 31.
VS. Longhorns keep Kansas winless Texas 59, Kansas 20
VS.
VS.
Red River upset Texas 24, Oklahoma 17 Charlie Strong took the Red River Showdown golden hat trophy from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s hands. He lifted it up to the Longhorn faithful and placed it on his head. The Longhorns’ second-year head coach secured a 24-17 win over No. 10 Oklahoma — his first signature win at Texas.
VS. Texas secures rainy win over Kansas State Texas 23, Kansas State 9
Morgantown meltdown West Virginia 38, Texas 20 Texas doesn’t usually have issues taking care of the ball … The Longhorns ranked No. 6 in turnovers lost coming into Nov. 14’s matchup at West Virginia. Yet, the team turned the ball over five times, propelling the Mountaineers to a 38-20 win.
VS. Red Raiders holster Longhorns in shootout Texas Tech 48, Texas 45
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Longhorns reflect on losing season, growth for future By Jori Epstein
since 2009, preceding its last championship appearance. But the 2015 roster has identified one strength: It can win a rivalry game. A 1-4 Longhorn team upset thenNo. 10 Oklahoma on Oct. 10 with confidence. The win remains the lone blemish on the Big 12 champions’ season. OU currently ranks No. 3 in the country. Head coach Charlie Strong said beating OU offered Texas the perfect momentum to turn around its season – but the Longhorns didn’t bite. “We played so well against Oklahoma that you would have figured….we’re going to hit a stretch here where we’re going to play well,” Strong said. “There’s always a game that sets you up where you say, ‘OK, that’s the game. Now we can really take off.’ And we never took off.” Texas lost its chance to take off for the season. It can’t salvage its losing record. And even if a series of flukes make the Longhorns bowl-eligible at 5-7, they don’t deserve the bid. But players and coaches alike stress the need to think short-term: First beat Baylor. Then worry about the program, the season and recruiting. Warren said he
@JoriEpstein
A decade has passed since Texas last won a national championship. Its last title game appearance, too, dates back six years. In Austin, even winning seasons have become a luxury. The burnt orange’s relevancy in college football has plummeted. Freshman running back Chris Warren sees the fall’s danger. “Texas has history and Texas needs to be back where Texas used to be,” Warren said. “It’s not a sense of entitlement at all – it’s the history of Texas.” Though Texas boasts historical dominance, the purple and green dominate the state’s college football landscape today. Baylor and TCU regularly top the rankings while Texas languishes. Players notice the reversal. “A few years ago you’d have said, ‘Who are those teams?’” junior safety Dylan Haines said. “But now there’s a growing rivalry with two high-powered offenses.” That sense of rivalry is exactly what Texas needs to stand a chance Saturday. The team heads to Waco as 21-point underdogs. Texas hasn’t beat Baylor at home
♲
Daulton Venglar | Daily Texan file photo
Texas senior defensive tackle Desmond “Tank” Jackson and his teammates stare on during Texas’ 50-7 loss to TCU on Oct. 3. The loss to TCU was one of four losses on the road. The Longhorns have been outscored 150-7 during road games.
expects the team to be competitive in two years. “I know for a fact that we may not be an immediate impact, but we will definitely get that start,” Warren said. “By the time we’re junior and seniors, it’ll be a pretty good team.”
RECYCLE
AFTER READING YOUR COPY
Hopes of 2017 contention won’t help Texas much this weekend. Only if the Longhorns revert to their rivalry mentality can they upset a Baylor team weakened by injuries and a bruised ego. Texas may consider Baylor a “second-tier” rival,
as Haines said, relative to “definite rival” OU. But the Longhorns must treat the Bears as a top-tier rival Saturday. A final upset would jumpstart Texas’ rebuild. Warren said the rebuild is imminent anyway. “It absolutely will [turn
around],” Warren said. “College football needs Texas …The Big 12 needs Texas. They have TCU and Baylor right now. But when the competition gets more stiff and Texas comes back, it’s going to be good. It’s going to be fun to watch.”
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Friday, December 4, 2015
Oklahoma nears first College Football Playoff berth By Jacob Martella @ViewFromTheBox
Matt Campbell named Iowa State head coach Just days after the final whistle blew on the Iowa State season, the Cyclones found their next head coach. The school announced Sunday its hiring of Toledo head coach Matt Campbell to take over the reigns of the program. Campbell never posted a losing season in his four years at the helm for the Rockets. He led Toledo to three nine-win seasons and a win in the GoDaddy bowl last year. Campbell replaces Paul Rhoads, who was fired on Nov. 22 after posting a 3255 record in seven seasons. Texas Tech fires defensive coaches Three Texas Tech defensive coaches will not return to the team next year, the school announced Tuesday. Mike Smith, Kevin Curtis and Trey Haverty — all former Red Raider players — were each released after the Texas Tech defense once again struggled this season. The Red Raiders finished last in the conference in rush defense, second-to-last in scoring
defense and eighth in pass defense. Smith, the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, played at Texas Tech from 2001 to 2003 as a linebacker. Curtis returned to Lubbock as the defensive backs coach after playing as a defensive back from 1998 to 2001. Haverty was the outside linebackers coach and played for the Red Raiders from 2001 to 2003. It’s unclear if the Red Raiders will fill the vacancies before their bowl game. Weekly Awards Following his heroics late in the win against Baylor, TCU freshman linebacker Ty Summers took home the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award, the conference announced Monday. Summers tallied a careerhigh 23 tackles, including a stop on fourth-and-1 in double overtime to cap the win for the Horned Frogs. He also had 1.5 tackles for loss and was a part of a TCU defense that held Baylor to a season-low in points. Despite the loss to Texas Tech, Texas freshman running back Chris Warren grabbed the Offensive
Stephanie Tacy | Daily Texan file photo
Oklahoma junior quarterback Baker Mayfield takes a snap during the Sooners’ 24-17 loss to Texas. Mayfield has been on a tear since the loss and is a Heisman trophy candidate.
Player of the Week award after rushing for a school freshman record 276 yards and four touchdowns. Kansas State senior returner Morgan Burns rounded out the awards with the Special Teams Player of the Week. Burns forced
a fumble on a Kansas punt and recovered a blocked punt in the end zone in the Wildcats’ 45-14 win. Rankings Update Following its blowout win at Oklahoma State, Oklahoma jumped into
prime position to give the Big 12 its first berth in the College Football Playoff. The Sooners moved from fifth to third in the latest Associated Press rankings. The Sooners have a bye this week. The rest of the Big 12,
however, wasn’t so lucky. Oklahoma State dropped to No. 14 after the rough defeat. Baylor fell to No. 12 after losing in double overtime at TCU. The Horned Frogs only moved up to No. 11.
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TEXAN STAFF PICKS
Friday, December 4, 2015
NICK CASTILLO
CLAIRE CRUZ
JORI EPSTEIN
JASON EPSTEIN
Overall Record
71-39
75-36
67-43
Last Week’s Record
4-6
7-3
Baylor 48-20
Florida vs. Alabama
13
JILLIAN KUSHNER
JACOB MARTELLA
AKSHAY MIRCHANDANI
BLANCHE SCHAEFER
63-47
74-36
74-36
77-33
64-46
72-38
67-43
6-4
4-6
8-2
5-5
6-4
6-4
7-3
6-4
Baylor 34-17
Baylor 45-28
Texas 35-21
Baylor 45-21
Baylor 35-34
Baylor 38-20
Texas 34-31
Baylor 34-10
Baylor 63-6
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama
North Carolina vs. Clemson
North Carolina
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
North Carolina
Clemson
Clemson
West Virginia vs. Kansas St.
West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia
Kansas St.
West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia
Michigan St. vs. Iowa
Michigan St.
Michigan St.
Iowa
Michigan St.
Michigan St.
Iowa
Michigan St.
Michigan St.
Michigan St.
Iowa
Temple vs. Hoston
Houston
Houston
Houston
Temple
Houston
Temple
Houston
Houston
Houston
Houston
Stanford vs. USC
Stanford
Stanford
USC
Stanford
Stanford
USC
Stanford
Stanford
USC
Stanford
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Southern Miss.
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green Bowling Green Bowling Green Bowling Green Bowling Green
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Bowling Green Bowling Green
San Diego St.
Air Force
San Diego St.
Air Force
San Diego St.
Texas vs. Baylor
Southern Miss. vs. Western Kentucky Bowling Green vs. Northern Illinois San Diego St. vs. Air Force
San Diego St.
Air Force
Air Force
San Diego St.
EZRA SIEGEL
AARON TORRES
San Diego St.
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Friday, December 4, 2015
HEISMAN WATCH
Junior quarterback Baker Mayfield rolls out during Oklahoma’s game against the Longhorns. Texas upset the Sooners, 24-17.
By Claire Cruz
Daily Texan Columnist @claireecruz5
1. Derrick Henry, Alabama RB 2015: 1,797 yards on 295 carries, 22 TD This week: vs. Florida, SEC Championship in Atlanta Henry tightened his hold on the trophy with a nice performance against Auburn. He finished with 271 yards and one touchdown while helping the Crimson Tide to a victory in the Iron Bowl. He’ll be going up against a stout Gator run defense this week, but his physicality and speed will likely help him lead Alabama to a win in the title game and a spot in the playoffs. If that happens, he’s likely win the Heisman. 2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson QB 2015: 261-of-371, 3,223 yards, 27 TD, 10 INT; 756 rushing yards, 9 TD This week: vs. North Carolina, ACC Championship in Charlotte Watson closed the gap in the Heisman race with a great game against South Carolina. He threw for 279 yards and a touchdown with just seven incomplete passes. He added 114 yards and three scores on the ground. This week’s matchup against the Tar Heels will be a tough one. I think Watson will come in hungry and lead the Tigers to an ACC title and the top seed in the playoffs, leaving him with a good shot to win the trophy. 3. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma QB 2015: 243-of-354, 3,389 yards, 35 TD This week: Bye Oklahoma’s regular season ending a week before other teams headed for the playoffs is good for its title hopes, but not for Mayfield’s Heisman chances. He had a solid three-touchdown performance to lead his team to the Big 12 championship last week, but Henry and
BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS No. 1
Oklahoma
What a weird year for the Sooners. They started 2015 as darkhorse Big 12 contenders, lost to Texas and end 2015 as the Big 12 champs and national title contenders.
No. 2
TCU
The Horned Frogs’ Big 12 and national title hopes were destroyed by injuries. A gritty win against rival Baylor helped end 2015 on a high note.
No. 3
Baylor
Baylor’s title hopes took a hit when junior starting quarterback Seth Russell went down with a neck injury. It really ended for the Bears when they ran into a peaking Oklahoma team and then lost freshman second-string quarterback Jarrett Stidham.
No. 4
Stephanie Tacy Daily Texan file photo
Watson were better. And without a final game to show off his skills, Mayfield probably won’t be hoisting the trophy this year. However, his improvement and importance to his team’s success this season has been tremendous, and he deserves to be a finalist. 4. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford RB 2015: 1,640 yards on 287 carries, 7 TD; 435 yards on 37 receptions, 3 TD This week: vs. USC, PAC-12 Championship in San Francisco McCaffrey had a golden opportunity to rise in the Heisman race when Stanford played Notre Dame last week, but the Fighting Irish worked hard to contain the explosive sophomore. He ran for 94 yards, had just three receptions and never found his way into the end zone. McCaffrey’s 228 all-purpose yards brought his season total to 3,035, making him just the third player in FBS history to surpass 3,000 all-purpose yards. With a big game against a hot USC squad, he could make this race a lot more interesting.
By Akshay Mirchandani @amirchandani41
Oklahoma State
The Pokes ran the table in the Big 12 until sputtering at the end, losing their final two games to Baylor and Oklahoma. They should be in the mix again next year.
No. 5
West Virginia
The Mountaineers play Kansas State for their last game of the season. A win would mark West Virginia’s eighth victory of the season.
No. 6
Texas Tech
Tech clinched a winning season by downing Texas 48-45 on Thanksgiving. It’s a step in the right direction for the Red Raiders after finishing 4-8 last season.
No. 7
Kansas State
The Wildcats are sitting at 5-6 and have to win their final game against West Virginia at home for bowl eligibility.
No. 8
Texas
The Longhorns’ bowl hopes disappeared with a loss to Texas Tech on Thanksgiving. They will be playing for pride against Baylor at this point.
No. 9
Iowa State
Iowa State lost its final game of the season to West Virginia for a 3-9 finish. Cyclone fans do have something to look forward to with the announcement of Mark Campbell as their new head coach.
No. 10
Kansas
The Jayhawks clinched their first winless season since 1954 under new head coach David Beaty. It’s clearly going to be a long, painful rebuild for Beatty in Lawrence. At least Jayhawk fans have Bill Self and the basketball team to ease their pain.
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Friday, December 4, 2015
GAMES TO WATCH By Jacob Martella @ViewFromTheBox
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Iowa Saturday — 7:17 p.m. — FOX The only play-and-you’re-in conference title game comes from the Big Ten. Michigan State faces an Iowa team that some still can’t believe is undefeated. The Spartans dominated Penn State following a last-second win over Ohio State, and Iowa has scrapped its way to a 12-0 record so far. The Hawkeyes posted a 5-point win over Minnesota, a 3-point win over Pittsburgh, and an 8-point win over Nebraska — more than Michigan State can say. Expect this game to be a typical Big Ten game, which means lots of running and lots of punting. But the suspense of a playoff spot in the balance will make up for that.
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No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 18 Florida Saturday — 3 p.m. — CBS This might be the most un-interesting conference game since Texas played Colorado in the Big 12 title game in 2005 — yes, there was such a thing. The difference between how these two teams are playing right now couldn’t be bigger. Alabama has rolled over each of its last nine opponents behind the power running of junior Derrick Henry, who’s put up 1,797 rushing yard and 22 touchdowns this season. Meanwhile, Florida was a safety away from getting shutout against Florida State a week after winning in overtime against Florida Atlantic. This game will likely end in a blowout, but stranger things have happened this college football season.
No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 8 North Carolina Saturday — 7 p.m. — ABC This game should be a simple play-and-you’re-in-game like the Big Ten, but the playoff committee isn’t exactly that bright. Clemson will certainly be in with a win. The Tigers had just two close games this season — a 2-point win over Notre Dame and a 5-point win last week at South Carolina. North Carolina, however, has a bad loss to South Carolina in Week 1, and the committee has punished the Tar Heels for it. Either way, this one will be a game to keep an eye on Saturday night.
No. 20 Temple vs. No. 17 Houston Saturday — 11 a.m. — ABC This game won’t determine a playoff spot (unless the committee gets crazy), but don’t discount the American Athletic Conference title game Saturday morning. Both teams at one point had a legitimate claim for a playoff spot before losses. Temple was within 4 points of knocking off Notre Dame and likely jumping into the playoff discussion. Meanwhile, Houston was making a lot of noise for a spot in the postseason before a 3-point loss to UConn two weeks ago. Still, the winner of this game will likely receive a spot in one of the New Year’s Six bowls, which is all the reason you need to watch this one.
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