Double Coverage Volume 5, Issue 11

Nov. 12, 2010

Vol.5, Issue 11

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY

New troubles arise as starters fall | page 12

2

Friday, November 12, 2010

theLINEUP page

5

7 9 16 19

OSU’S NEW LOOK Offensive coordinator Dan Holgorsen’s system has Oklahoma State scoring 46.33 points per game.

JUSTIN WHO? Cowboy receiver Justin Blackmon has risen from obscurity to the nation’s leading receiver in one year.

VANISHING TICKET TRICK Some Texas students are scrambling to sell their home football tickets for extra cash.

CHOOSE WISELY Blue-chippers often come to Texas but are hard-pressed to fulfill the grand expectations placed upon them.

Cover photo: Derek Stout, above: Derek Stout| Daily Texan Staff

Senior defensive end Sam Acho is one of many Texas players to enter the program as a unheralded recruit only to emerge as a playmaker.

REGULARS

BOOM!

Nebraska is at the center of a recent controversy over illegal hits in the Big 12.

6 11  14  14 

page

MATCHups POWER RANKINGS PLAYERStoWATCH BIG 12 NORTH notebook

15  17  22  23 

BIG 12 SOUTH notebook GAMEStoWATCH POSITION BATTLES HEISMAN watch

EDITOR’S NOTE

The Daily Texan’s Double Coverage is printed the Friday before every Texas football game and twice during OU week.

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Double Coverage Editor……………Will Anderson Design Editor…………………….Mustafa Saifuddin Photo Editor……………………………Derek Stout Page designers....Martina Geronimo, Simonetta Nieto Copy Editors.............Elyana Barrera, Cristina Herrera .....................................................Austin Myers Daily Texan Sports Editor………………Dan Hurwitz Writers……...................................Sameer Bhuchar, ..........................Alexandra Carreno, Austin Laymance, ......................................................Jordan Godwin, …………………........Laken Litman, Jonathan Parrett

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Friday, November 12, 2010

OSU on cusp of first-ever Big 12 title

By Laken Litman Daily Texan Staff Oklahoma State was ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 South in the preseason media poll, beneath Texas Tech and Texas A&M. But the Cowboys (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) are the No. 10 team in the country and in the hunt for a conference title and BCS bowl bid.

Explosive playmakers such as quarterback Brandon Weeden, receiver Justin Blackmon and tailback Kendall Hunter headline the nation’s third best offense.

Weeden, who currently ranks as the No. 2 quarterback in the country, is averaging 331.3 passing yards per game and has 26 touchdowns. Fifteen of those have been passes to Blackmon, the nation’s No. 1 receiver. Hunter, who was out with an ankle injury last season, sits just behind Oregon’s LaMichael James and Michigan’s Denard Robinson as the third best rusher in the country.

“You can look at their stat sheet or you can watch them on TV and know that they’re one of the best offenses in the country,” said junior safety Blake Gideon. “It’s going to be a real challenge for our defense. They’re by no means one-dimensional.”

Brown compared the Cowboys’ offense to the one Texas had the

year it won the national championship in 2005.

“They can just run up and down the field at will,” Brown said.

“They had like 725 yards against Baylor. They’re scoring 60 points like it’s nothing. It’s amazing.”

The Texas defense has struggled to stop unbalanced offenses all year long. UCLA, Iowa State and Kansas State all killed the Longhorns with their running games and hardly even threw the ball at all. Oklahoma State, however, has a dynamic offense that can score by running, passing and on special teams.

“They’ve got the full compliment,” Brown said. “They’re as good a team as we’ve seen here in a long time.”

Texas has the second best pass defense in the country but it hasn’t gotten much action this season because teams would rather exploit Texas’ weakness (rush defense) than its strength (pass defense).

The Texas secondary against Oklahoma State’s third-ranked passing offense will be an interesting match up.

“As a safety, you get excited for games like this,” Gideon said.

But if Texas’ secondary shuts down the Weeden-Blackmon connection, Cowboys’ head coach Mike Gundy might just give the

ball to Hunter every snap. Last weekend against Kansas State, Texas couldn’t stop tailback Daniel Thomas, and Hunter is faster and racks up more yardage.

Despite being a heavy underdog, the Longhorns have always had the Cowboys’ number. Texas is 22-2 all-time against OSU and has won the past 12 meetings. In fact, this week The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City took an OSU fan poll to see how they were feeling heading into this weekend. The overall sense was that they’re as excited as they are uneasy.

In the poll one fan said, “I’d be lying if I said that sticker on the side of the helmet didn’t make me a bit nervous. I feel like Texas is a sleeping giant and I really hope KState didn’t wake them up with a splash of cold water to the face last weekend.”

“Texas is still Texas,” another fan was quoted saying. “I feel better about the game than I’ve felt in years, but a [Cowboys] quarter like the ones against Nebraska, Troy or Tulsa and we could be dead meat.”

The key to a Texas win is to play like it did against Nebraska. The offense didn’t turn the ball over and the defense caused two firstquarter turnovers that the offense

preview No. 10 Oklahoma St. @ Texas 8-1 (4-1 Big 12) last game: 55-28 win vs. Baylor

4-5 (2-4 Big 12) last game: 39-14 loss @ Kansas St.

Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium ABC, 7 p.m.

Caleb Bryant Miller | Daily Texan Staff

Receiver Marquise Goodwin catches a ball in warmups prior to the KSU game. Goodwin and the Longhorns face the Cowboys on Saturday. turned into a 10-0 start. The momentum was on Texas’ side for the rest of the game.

It’s been a rough road this year, but the Longhorns haven’t given up yet and are excited for this

weekend’s challenge to take down a top-10 team.

“Regardless of what everybody thinks, we’re still going out there with the preparation and mindset that it takes to win,” Gideon said.

4

Friday, November 12, 2010

Secondary continues to thrive despite woes

By Jordan Godwin Daily Texan Staff When searching for bright spots in this disappointing season, the Texas secondary is one of the few.

“I think they have played really well,” said Texas head coach Mack Brown. “We have probably put as much pressure on our secondary this year because we knew it was a strength coming in.”

The area was the biggest weakness on a highly talented team in 2008. Freshmen Earl Thomas, Blake Gideon, Aaron Williams and Curtis Brown all experienced some very painful growing pains back then — cough, cough, Michael Crabtree in Lubbock. But those hardships made the bunch stronger, and even with the departure of Thomas, some scouts touted the pass defense as one of the fastest and most talented in college football history.

By most measures, the pass defense has not disappointed one bit. The Longhorns’ secondary allows just 132.4 passing yards per game, second only to TCU in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.

Yet Brown has noted the sparse amount of interceptions.

Texas has the fewest among top 50 pass defenses, and this time last year, Texas had 25 interceptions on 460 passing attempts (18.4 interceptions per attempt).

But this year, Texas has five out of 205 (one interceptions per 41 attempts). Despite the low interception total, Texas’ secondary has been stellar on paper.

But is the pass defense the result of talented and mature players who were five-star recruits three years ago? Or simply a product of the nature of the opponents?

The Longhorns have fallen behind early in three of their last four games. They’ve faced halftime deficits in four of their last six. And when teams fall behind, what’s the point of passing the ball and risking a chance for Texas to come back? The staunch pass defense has been about as useful as a parking brake in Kansas. There’s a strong possibility that Texas’ secondary is only elite because of the situations it has faced.

That could come to fruition this week in the ultimate test

ON I T A N DESTI

against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys ranks third in passing yards with 353.6 per game, and the only reason they aren’t No. 1 is because they can also run the ball so well. Junior quarterback Brandon Weeden is second in the nation in passing yards, and senior Kendall Hunter is third in rushing yards.

JANUARY BREAK 2011

Oklahoma State’s dominant offense has compiled 549.2 yards per game, No. 3 in the country.

“You aren’t going to stop them because nobody has all year,” Brown said. “But you have to make some plays against them where you keep them from scoring as many points and try to force more turnovers.”

Sophomore OSU receiver Justin Blackmon has hit the scene in a big way this season, leading the nation with a mammoth 160.6 receiving yards per game, 36.0 more yards than second place, amazingly a bigger differential than second place and 15th place.

“Nobody had ever heard of Blackmon,” Brown said. “My gosh, he’s Michael Crabtree. He’s Dez Bryant. He’s done everything they’re doing.”

Whether or not people have heard of him, Texas players are well aware of his potential to dominate the game.

“Whenever you get a guy like him that is very explosive and has that athletic ability but is also very disciplined in his route running, that’s pretty dangerous,” Gideon said.

“They’re every bit as good as advertised, and the numbers reflect that. It will be a fun game this week.”

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Friday, November 12, 2010

Holgorsen’s system leads ‘Pokes to top of South division

By Austin Laymance Daily Texan Staff If you can’t beat them, join them. Or at least throw them the big bucks and get them on your staff.

It’s worked to perfection this season for Oklahoma State, which plucked offensive coordinator and scoring guru Dana Holgorsen from the Houston Cougars in January.

Holgorsen and his prolific Cougar attack stunned the Cowboys in Stillwater last season.

Oklahoma State, then the No. 5 team in the nation, gave up 512 yards of offense and four touchdowns to Holgorsen’s crew.

Now, with Holgorsen on their side, the ‘Pokes have vaulted themselves into the upper echelon of college offenses thanks to a few tweaks from Holgorsen.

Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, the man charged with the burden of slowing down the high-octane Cowboy offense this week, said Holgorsen has done an excellent job of tailoring his scheme to his new players at OSU, most of whom are more talented than those at Houston, which plays in the smaller Conference USA. Essentially, Holgorsen has made an already dangerous offense even more potent by molding it to higher-caliber athletes.

Oklahoma State sits alone atop the Big 12 South standings, thanks to a dual-threat attack that is rewriting the school’s record books. It’s all coming together for head coach Mike Gundy, who is in his sixth year of running his alma mater’s program and has his squad on the cusp of a trip to its first ever Big 12 Championship Game.

“Hopefully we’re building some tradition here,” Gundy said. “We’re starting something that we haven’t been able to do at Oklahoma State, basically, in the history of the whole football program.”

Never, in all of Oklahoma State’s history, have the folks in Stillwater witnessed an offense like this.

The Cowboys’ offense is ranked in the top three nationally in passing, total offense and scoring. Last week against

Baylor, the ‘Pokes piled up a school-record 725 yards of offense en route to a 55-28 drubbing of the Bears. The eye-popping performance topped the previous record by three yards ­— set earlier this season against Tulsa on Sept. 18.

The players certainly have a newfound swagger on offense and faith in Holgorsen’s system.

“I think that the overall impact of the way people believe and feel about themselves is helping us win football games,” Gundy said.

Sam Acho, a leader of the Texas defense, said the Cowboys are loaded with quality players and present another formidable challenge, which is certainly in the running for understatement of the year.

OSU receiver Justin Blackmon is the national leader in receiving yards and touchdown receptions, tailback Kendall Hunter is No. 3 in the country in rushing yards and touchdowns, and quarterback Brandon Weeden is first in TD passes and second in passing yards.

“These are the kind of games you look forward to,” Acho said.

“To be able to play great athletes on the other side of the field and people with great talent.”

The three members of the Cowboys’ offensive trio have made a name for themselves in 2010 and have grown into their new roles after not contributing much a season ago.

Weeden is a first-year starter and a former Yankees draft pick, but the 27-year-old has shined beneath the bright

Brody Schmidt | Associated Press

Kendall Hunter, right, holds onto the ball as he’s tackled by Baylor’s Tevin Elliot last week.

Saturday lights under the tutelage of Holgorsen.

Blackmon is regarded by scouts and coaches as the second coming of OSU great Dez Bryant, the top draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in April, and has been virtually unstoppable on the field as a sophomore.

Hunter was a factor in 2008, when he led the conference in rushing, but missed five games a season ago and hobbled through the year before healing up for the team’s bowl game.

Muschamp said he’s always regarded the senior as a “tremendous” player.

Gundy and Holgersen certainly have turned the ‘Pokes into legitimate contenders on the road.

The Cowboys were victorious at Kansas State for the first time in 22 years and won at Texas Tech for the first time in 66 years earlier this season.

Oklahoma State has not won in Austin since 1944 — 66 years ago.

Oklahoma St. Offense 2010

Yards Per Game

Big 12 Rank

NCAA Rank

Rushing

195.7

3

25

Passing

353.6

1

3

Total

549.2

1

3

Scoring

46.3 ppg

1

3

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MATCHups — By Austin Laymance | Daily Texan Staff

QUARTERBACK Garrett Gilbert was intercepted five times against Kansas State, his fifth loss as Texas’ starting QB. Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden, the former Yankees farmhand, is the top statistical quarterback in the Big 12 and is deadly accurate when given time in the pocket. Weeden is surrounded by play-makers and will challenge the Texas secondary on Saturday, no matter the score.

RUNNING BACK Kendall Hunter is atop all of the major rushing categories in the conference and has gone more than 100-yards on the ground in seven games this season. Hunter has been held scoreless in just two of OSU’s nine games and has found the end zone multiple times in five contests. The loss of Michael Huey on the offensive line has hampered an already stagnant Longhorn running game.

RECEIVERS Cowboy wide-out Justin Blackmon is the national leader in receiving yards and touchdown catches and has yet to be stopped by anyone in 2010. The sophomore has great hands and goes for the ball with a vengeance. Texas may have found something in DeSean Hales, who had an impressive performance against K-State, and will need the young sophomore to provide another spark on offense this week.

OFFENSIVE LINE While Texas is scrambling to fill the hole left by the experienced Huey, the Oklahoma State line has cleared the way for the conference’s top runner and are allowing the fewest sacks in the Big 12 — giving up just one per game on average. The Longhorns must do a better job of protecting Gilbert in the pocket to give him time to make the right reads and cut down on interceptions.

Advantage

Breakdown

Advantage

Breakdown

6

DEFENSIVE LINE The Longhorn interior linemen are undersized, and it showed last week as the Wildcats ran right through the Texas defense. The Longhorns are adept in the pass rush but will face a Cowboy offensive line that has surrendered only nine sacks in nine games. The OSU d-line is a middle-of-the-pack unit in terms of getting to the quarterback but are third against the run in the Big 12.

LINEBACKERS Senior middle linebacker and Houston native Orie Lemon leads the Cowboys in tackles for a loss and fumble recoveries and is the bulldog of the defense. The Longhorns’ line-backing corps will need to heal up and get right before this game, especially Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho, as they prepare to face another high-powered Cowboy offense.

SECONDARY The Longhorns will be without starting senior cornerback Chykie Brown, who broke his arm last week against KSU, and will need to prevent chunk-yardage plays against a quickstrike OSU attack. Cornerback Aaron Williams should be back in the Texas lineup after missing last week’s game. The Cowboys’ pass defense is second to last in the conference, surrendering 272 yards through the air per game.

SPECIAL TEAMS Cowboy place kicker Dan Bailey is seven-forseven on field goals from 40-yards or further and ranks second in the country in scoring, while punter Quinn Sharp is second nationally in net punting and first in the Big 12. The Longhorns returners must hold on to the ball this week in order to give the offense solid field position, otherwise it could be another long day offensively.

7

Friday, November 12, 2010

Cowboys’ Blackmon explodes onto scene

By Jon Parrett Daily Texan Staff Two months ago, Justin Blackmon was the best wide receiver you’d never heard of.

In only his sophomore season at Oklahoma State, Blackmon now has 75 receptions for 1,285 yards and 15 touchdowns. He leads the country in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and is the current frontrunner to win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver.

But in one night, Blackmon became national news for all the wrong reasons, and his season almost came crashing down.

Blackmon was driving 92 mph on Interstate Highway 35 early in the morning on Oct. 26 when he was pulled over outside of Carollton — the speed limit was 60 mph.

An officer performed a field sobriety test on Blackmon and it was determined that the 20-year-old had been drinking. Under Texas law, a driver under the age of 21 can be arrested for having any detectable amount of alcohol in their system, so Blackmon was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge.

He was bailed out of jail later that morning and faces a fine up to $500, but no jail time.

“I’m embarrassed to be in this position,” Blackmon said at a news conference following his arrest. “I’m truly sorry to my family, to my friends and to Oklahoma State all together. I look forward to redeeming myself and proving to everybody that this isn’t who I am.

I’m not this guy.”

To make matters worse, Blackmon came under investigation by the university for his trip down

to Texas. He and other Oklahoma State athletes were returning from the Dallas Cowboys game, so Oklahoma State launched an investigation to see if Blackmon’s attendance at the game violated any NCAA regulations. Blackmon’s friend and former OSU teammate Dez Bryant plays for the Dallas Cowboys.

The OSU Office of Athletics Compliance determined later that week that no violations had occurred.

For his DUI charge, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy suspended Blackmon for that week’s game against Kansas State.

“It’s unfortunate that this happened for him, because he really is a good person,” Gundy said. “I wouldn’t have an issue with leaving him with my three sons. I’d let him babysit in a heartbeat. He’s a very caring person who’s made a mistake and he’s going to suffer the consequences.”

After sitting out the Cowboys’ 24-14 win over Kansas State, Blackmon returned last week against Baylor and caught 13 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown.

He also took a reverse and ran 69 yards for a touchdown.

Everyone in the country noticed Blackmon’s production on the field, but Gundy heralded his conduct off it.

“Justin was extremely embarrassed last week,” Gundy said after the Baylor game. “I noticed him [walking into the stadium] today and he spent the entire 500 yards of that walk over there touching all the hands of the little kids and the Oklahoma State people, and he has not done that before. I noticed that and that’s because he felt real-

Brody Schmidt | Associated Press

Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon stiff-arms a Troy defender in a game on Sept. 11. The sophomore leads the nation in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. ly bad for what happened and we put it behind us.”

With Blackmon back and Oklahoma State looking to keep its BCS chances alive, you can bet the ‘Pokes will get their star receiver involved early and often on Saturday.

Texas’ secondary is ranked second in the country in pass defense, and hasn’t allowed a receiver to eclipse 100 yards this season. The Longhorns haven’t played many teams with great passing offenses but did hold Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles — who currently ranks third in the country in receiving yards — to only 36 yards on five receptions in the Red River Rivalry.

But Blackmon is a different breed of receiver than Broyles — think Roy Williams instead of Marquise Goodwin.

Lagers

“A lot of times you see guys that are very good athletes just rely on that athletic ability, which at this level most of the time cancels out,” said Texas safety Blake Gideon.

Blackmon has yet to finish a game without 120 yards receiving and at least one touchdown this year. It’s clear he’s made the leap from little-known receiver to Heisman trophy candidate with his play on the field, and with Gundy’s guidance, he can start making the right deci-

sions off the field, too.

“I think he understands now that he’s elevated himself to the level nationally that when he makes a mistake, everybody’s going to know about it,” Gundy said.

“When he does something good and productive, which he does a lot, everybody is going to be aware of it. He needs to understand where he stands. That’s the way it is, from this point on, would be my guess.”

Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Top Receivers Rank

Player

1

G

Rec.

Yards

TD

Yds/Gm

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. 8

75

1285

15

160.63

2

Greg Salas, Hawaii

10

83

1246

8

124.60

3

Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

9

86

1077

8

119.67

4

Jordan White, Western Mich.

9

72

1057

8

117.44

5

Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

9

59

1034

7

114.89

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Friday, November 12, 2010

Students attempt to flip Texas tickets amidst losing skid

By Sameer Bhuchar Daily Texan Staff With a quick search on StubHub, ticket-less Texas football fans can purchase a ticket to this weekend’s game for less than half the face value. Some students have even posted their tickets on Craigslist for less than $20.

Tickets to this game as well as the following two matchups seem to be more accessible to the public. With the Longhorn football team in peril, some fans have chosen to avoid the stadium altogether, enjoy the game elsewhere and maybe even make a few bucks off of their tickets by selling them online.

Plan II senior Surveen Singh listed her ticket online two weeks ago when Baylor came to town, and she made 15 dollars from her sale. She said she is considering doing it again.

“I love the games, I do. In the years past, I tried my best to never miss a home game, but this is year is just so much different,” Singh said. “The games are frustrating, and all my friends are so focused on yelling at the field half the time, so the nostalgia from my freshman and sophomore years are gone. Instead it has been replaced with anger and whining fans. I simply don’t want to be around that.”

Instead of going to the game against Baylor, Singh and her friends watched the game at home.

“Honestly, it was more fun to just relax on the couch and watch it,” she said. “A couple of drinks, tons of free food. What more could you ask for? I’m definitely doing it again this week.”

Singh isn’t the only one opting out of the traditional game-day experience. Finance senior Samantha Strauss is also considering selling her ticket for a more relaxed environment.

“It is sad that in my senior year I’m even considering not going to games anymore, but the team is just really hard to watch in person for three hours,” Strauss said. “If I opt out of the game I’ll most likely stay at home, study, and flip back and forth between the game and whatever is on Bravo.”

Strauss said that all the petty cash her and friends may make on

their potential ticket sales is enough to make a good time.

“Pool all of the profit together, and it’s enough to kick back, watch the game at home and make a mini-party out of it,” she said.

The growing at-home viewing party trend is rivaled by the Texas tradition of tailgating. Business junior Zeke Herron puts his business savvy to use every home game by selling his tickets online to then put money towards a tailgate.

“When the team was doing well, I could make a pretty penny on every sale,” Herron said.

“Now, of course, things are differ ent. But I can still make some pet-

Corey Leamon | Daily Texan Staff

Fans sit in the Cotton Bowl following the Longhorns’ 28-20 loss to Oklahoma on Oct. 2. The recent losing streak has caused some students to sell their home-game tickets.

The Texas athletics department the DKR House.” Even the Texas has noticed the apathy of fans Box Office has lowered the askand has tried to find ways to lure ing price for the Florida Atlantic game. Though attendance has been high this season, the numbers are dropping relative to In the years past, I tried my best to never miss a where they started. home game, but this is year is just September ’s UCLA matchup featured the largest recorded so much different.” crowd in DKR’s history at 101,437.

Of course, the team was still un— Surveen Singh, Plan II senior defeated at that time. Since that drubbing, the Longhorn home attendance has seen a dip in nearty cash off the ticket, and go buy them back to home games. Before ly 1,000 fans in each following my way into a tailgate on Saturdays playing Iowa State, head coach home game. for an all-day experience that is 10 Mack Brown was featured in fullTexas Box Office, the Univertimes better than watching us lose.” page ads urging fans to “Protect sity’s official ticket-selling opera-

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tion, did not respond to requests for comment by print time.

So whether it is enjoying a tailgate or throwing together a last minute viewing party in the comfort of their own homes, fans are finding ways to watch the game without the motions of going to the stadium.

Personally, Singh enjoys the new tradition she has created for her and her friends.

“Watching and partying at home is a really good way to keep the team relevant as well as spend time actually talking to your friends,” she said. “It’s the best of both worlds.”

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For web exclusive stories, videos, photo galleries and more, go to dailytexanonline.com

New stars emerge as injuries force depth-chart fixes

By Will Anderson Daily Texan Columnist

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Injuries are an inevitable part of any football season. Downturns are cyclical tendencies that affect all football programs.

Coaches refrain from using the term “rebuilding year,� especially staffs like Texas so accustomed to 10-win seasons, but this campaign boils down to exactly that.

The No. 23 Aggies are not as good as their ranking and you should fully expect the Longhorns to win at least two of their last three and make it to a bowl, but the fact of the matter is that this year represents a step down from what is usually expected in Austin.

With that said, the depth-chart shuffling Mack Brown is currently dealing with is a perfect chance for fans to see some of the young, buried talent on the team’s deep, deep roster.

Receiver DeSean Hales, after such a successful orange-white spring game, didn’t see much time this season until last week at Kansas State; he’s now listed at No. 2 in the flanker position. Look for him across the middle or out on the bubble screens this Saturday.

Dominique Jones is now the backup at tight end. The redshirt freshman was a two-way prep star in high school and one of the

best defensive ends from the state of Texas. With the depth on the d-line, now is the chance to get a look at one of the most athletic recruits from the 2009 class.

D.J. Monroe is quickly burning through his eligibility but is now listed third on the depth chart and could finally see some substantial action out of the backfield versus Oklahoma State. Monroe has proven his speed and ability to make space — will coaches give him a shot to test his durability?

Greg Davis almost pulled Garrett Gilbert during last week’s contest so don’t be surprised if he hands the reins to freshman backup Case McCoy for a drive or two against the Cowboys and their second-to-worst Big 12 passing defense.

Offensive linemen Trey Hopkins and Paden Kelley should both get on the field. Hopkins, a true freshman, will start at left guard after making his first start last week.

Redshirt freshman Kelley is the No. 2 man at right and left tackle. He came from Lake Travis with Gilbert and was an All-State contributor for the Cavaliers before turning into a four-star recruit for the Longhorns. Both represent the future of the team’s o-line.

Freshmen Ashton Dorsey and Reggie Wilson will back up Alex Okafor at defensive tackle and Sam Acho at end, respectively. Dorsey is a hulking interior

INJURIES continues on page 21

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Caleb Bryant Miller | Daily Texan Staff

Mike Davis, left, runs with the ball after catching a pass versus Kansas State on Saturday. Davis is one of the team’s emerging talents.

11

Friday, November 12, 2010

BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS — By Sameer Bhuchar | Daily Texan Staff

7

Kansas State secured a bowl with its commanding win over Texas. The Wildcats may not be ranked in The Associated Press poll anymore but they’re still in the upper echelon of rushing and scoring teams in the nation.

2

In what some thought was going to be a close matchup, Cowboy quarterback Brandon Weeden had a field day against a porous Baylor secondary, as he threw for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns.

8

Texas Tech’s convincing win over the Tigers helps the team ascend in the rankings. However, its bottom-of-the-barradsasdel defense will likely come back to haunt it as the Red Raiders face Oklahoma on Saturday.

3

The once defensive-minded Tigers are now virtually out of Big 12 North contention after dropping two games in a row. Their offense has only managed 17 points in each of the last two contests.

9

The Cyclones played valiantly against Nebraska and almost made the game an “upset-of-the-year Pt. 2.”

Though they lost, they are on track to become bow eligible as they face Colorado this week.

4

The Aggies have jumped this high by virtue of momentum and a huge win over a solid Sooner team last week. They’ve now won three in a row as they prepare to face Baylor this week.

10

What else is there to say about this team that hasn’t already been said? Yet again, Gilbert struggled, the running backs failed to establish a ground attack and the defense was flat. Bowl game? Who knows at this point?

5

Playing on the road is difficult and the Sooners learned that lesson the hard way last week. The Aggies handled Oklahoma on all sides of the ball and Oklahoma’s defense showed its weaknesses.

11

Kansas finally won its first Big 12 game by way of a huge 35-point fourth quarter. Don’t get too excited Jayhawk fans: Nebraska won’t be that charitable on Saturday.

6

Don’t let the final score fool you: Baylor was down 34-0 at halftime against Oklahoma State. The euphoria of wins from weeks past are gone, as are the Bears’ dreams of winning the South.

12

After losing to Kansas on Saturday, the Buffaloes lost their long-time head coach Dan Hawkins. It is the end of and era for Colorado, and it is one fans will hope to forget.

1

The Cornhuskers narrowly escaped the upsetminded Cyclones last week but with their win they are officially on cruise-control to a Big 12 North title.

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S IE

E D P T P I H L F CH

By Jordan Godwin Daily Texan Staff

A

I NJ U

Texas trainers attend to Aaron Williams as head coach Mack Brown looks on. Williams collided wih teammate Blake Gideon in the Baylor game on Oct. 30.

Andrew Torrey Daily Texan file photo

RT

When the Longhorns opened the season, they were almost as healthy as a team could aspire to be.

But the bumps and bruises didn’t take long to show up.

On the second play of the 2010 season, heavily hyped starting running back Cody Johnson sprained his ankle and was rendered ineffective for nearly a month until he had 73 yards against Nebraska. So sophomore Tre’ Newton became the starter.

That worked for a few games until Newton got hurt a few weeks later, missing the UCLA game and much of the Oklahoma game. And Fozzy Whittaker became the starter and still is. Knock on wood, Fozzy.

The frail situation at running back has been a tragic comedy for the Longhorns, but for the past few games, things have gotten even worse.

“Chykie Brown broke his arm. I hate it for him,” said head coach Mack Brown after last Saturday’s nightmare at Kansas State. “He’s had a great career at Texas, and he’s out for the year. It’s a tough way for him to end his senior year. Kyle Hix played the first half and then had a head injury. Tre’ Newton played eight plays, and he had a head injury. They were taken out of the game. When that happens, the doctors take them out. They do give them a battery of tests and will not let them go back in if they feel like there’s any chance it might further damage them.”

Damage has been the most popular play against Texas this season — that and disaster. All of these injuries occurred one week after the Longhorns lost starting left guard Michael Huey for the season. Brown, the cornerback, suffered a broken arm and is finished as a Longhorn. Hix, the starting left tackle, is questionable for the OSU game. Starting cornerback Aaron Williams went through the same situaiton the previous week after suffering a concussion when he ran into teammate Blake Gideon.

It seems that as the desperation grows for the 2010 Longhorns, the injuries are piling higher and higher.

“As hard as it is to lose for the fans, administration, students and faculty, just think about our coaches and players,” Brown said. “They die with every loss. It’s very difficult for them, and it’s hard to fight back.”

But Brown said even though players are dropping like flies in these final weeks, there’s no reason to tap the brakes on the season — he still hopes to gain bowl eligibility, which requires Texas winning two of its last three.

“All we can do is fight our guts out and try to keep working, understanding that as disappointed as we are, the players aren’t going to quit,” Brown said. “Obviously, when you’ve got problems, you’ve got to fix them. That’s what we’re trying to do. You stay upbeat, you stay demanding, and you work as hard as you can to get it fixed.”

SQUAD ASSUMES NEW COMPOSITION

YO

13

DEPTH CHART AFTER 2009 SEASON Offense FL — James Kirkendoll WR — Dan Buckner TE — Blaine Irby RT — Britt Mitchell RG — Tray Allen C — David Snow LG — Michael Huey LT — Kyle Hix SE — Malcolm Williams QB — Garrett Gilbert TB — Tre’ Newton

CURRENT DEPTH CHART

Defense

Offense

Defense

NT — Kheeston Randall DT — Tyrell Higgins DE — Sam Acho SLB — Dravannti Johnson MLB — Emmanuel Acho WLB — Keenan Robinson RCB — Chykie Brown RS — Blake Gideon LS — Earl Thomas LCB — Curtis Brown NICK — Aaron Williams

FL — Mike Davis OR DeSean Hales WR — John Chiles TE — Barrett Matthews RT — Britt Mitchell RG — Mason Walters C — David Snow LG — Trey Hopkins LT — Kyle Hix SE — James Kirkendoll OR Malcolm Williams QB — Garrett Gilbert TB — Fozzy Whittaker OR Cody Johnson

BUCK — Dravannti Johnson NT — Kheeston Randall DT — Alex Okafor DE — Sam Acho SLB — Emmanuel Acho MLB — Dustin Earnest WLB — Keenan Robinson RCB — Aaron Williams OR Carrington Byndom RS — Blake Gideon LS — Christian Scott OR Kenny Vaccaro LCB — Curtis Brown NICK — Kenny Vaccaro

Dan Bucker: Transferred to Arizona after arrest Blaine Irby: Injured knee in 2008; supposed to return in 2010 but never did Tray Allen: Injured left foot in spring training camp Michael Huey: Injured knee against Baylor this year Tre’ Newton: Limited by multiple injuries; won’t play at Oklahoma State Chykie Brown: Broke arm last week at Kansas State Earl Thomas: Left school early, selected in NFL Draft

S E C N A T S NGE M U C R I C TE CHA DICTA

Mike Davis: Played in 8 games; 380 yds receiving DeSean Hales: Played in 9 games; 73 yards receiving Trey Hopkins: Replaced Huey as starter last week Fozzy Whittaker: Team’s No. 1 rusher with 299 yds Cody Johnson: Improved stamina in off-season, now team’s No. 2 runner with 293 yds Alex Okafor: Played in 9 games; 20 tackles, 1.5 sacks Dustin Earnest: Played in 9 games; 25 tackles, 2 TFL Carrington Byndom: Played in 2 games; 10 tackles Christian Scott: Played in 8 games; 44 tackles, 1 INT Kenny Vaccaro: Played in 9 games; 39 tackles

OUNG TALENT STEPS UP TO FILL VOID

I

t seems like Texas’ injury reserve list gets a new name on it every week. Fortunately for the Longhorns, when a player goes down, there’s depth to fill the void.

Unfortunately, however, that depth is usually young and inexperienced.

The first major blow the team took this year was when projected starting right guard Tray Allen reaggravated a foot injury. Redshirt freshman Mason Walters was asked to step up and start in Allen’s place and coaches have been pleased with his progress thus far.

The second and third season-ending injuries also came on the offensive line. Backup left tackle sophomore Luke Poehlmann tore his ACL against Wyoming, and then starting left guard Michael Huey injured his right knee in the first half against Baylor.

Freshmen Paden Kelley and Trey Hopkins have assumed those two positions, respectively.

“Trey is extremely athletic,” said offensive coordinator Greg Davis. “He’s got a great wingspan, is very bright and has never complained. He’ll get better and better as he

By Laken Litman | Daily Texan Staff works out in the weight room and gets more snaps. Paden Kelley has really played well and will continue to grow as he gets out there as well.”

Kelley and Hopkins aren’t the only ones who have been thrown into the fire this season. More offensive linemen backups, such as redshirt freshmen Garrett Porter and Thomas Ashcraft, have given quality performances that make the coaches excited for the future.

“They’re really going to be super players for us down the road,” said head coach Mack Brown.

On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Will Muschamp called on freshman Carrington Byndom to replace Chykie Brown, who broke his arm versus KSU. “I am very pleased with his production,” Muschamp said of Byndom, who had three tackles in the fourth quarter against the Wildcats. “He is going to be a very good player.

He is very smart, talented and he’s just got to get in to the weight room a little bit and beef up his body. He is far ahead of the schedule for a freshman defensive back.”

At the end of the year, Texas could possibly lose all three

of its starting cornerbacks. Chykie Brown and Curtis Brown will graduate, and junior Aaron Williams may opt for the NFL draft, as he is currently projected for a first-round pick

by ESPN.com.

“We were worried about corner next year and Carrington is getting some valuable time out there right now,” Brown said. “It’s hard to put corners out there that are younger unless you have to, and he played nearly perfect on Saturday night.”

Byndom and Williams will rotate at cornerback in Chykie Brown’s absence.

Other freshmen defensive backs have also stepped up as of late. A.J. White has gotten reps at cornerback behind Curtis Brown and Adrian Phillips has been playing behind safety Blake Gideon.

The Longhorns hope to avoid any further injuries over the next few weeks, but they do have an abundance of underclassmen that are ready and willing to step up. Plus, on the bright side, the more playing time these youngsters get this year, the better off and more experienced they’ll be next year.

14

Friday, November 12, 2010

PLAYERStoWATCH

— By Austin Laymance | Daily Texan Staff

BIG 12 North notebook — By Sameer Bhuchar | Daily Texan Staff

Third-stringer earns spot after win over Colorado

Justin Blackmon, WR Meet Dez Bryant version 2.0. Blackmon has filled in nicely for the Cowboys and has folks in Stillwater comparing him with Bryant, a first round pick in April’s NFL Draft, both on and off the field. While Blackmon’s play between the lines speaks for itself, as he’s the national leader in receiving yards and touchdown grabs, he was suspended one game after he was arrested Oct. 26. Similarly, Bryant was suspended for OSU’s final 10 games last year. But Blackmon returned to the scene with 13 catches for 173 yards and a score against Baylor last week to vault himself back into the Heisman Trophy picture. The country’s best receiver has scored in every game he’s played and has finished with at least 125 yards in each of his eight starts. The Cowboys will look towards Blackmon early and often and depend on him to finish drives, as his 17 touchdowns are best in the conference.

Brody Schmidt | Associated Press

Kendall Hunter, RB Hunter is back with a vengeance in 2010, after missing last year with an injury, and is leading the Big 12 in rushing yards per game (137.8) and rushing touchdowns (14) — he ranks third nationally in both categories. Hunter is an explosive runner and can take it to the house whenever the ball is in his hands. The senior from Tyler will be licking his chops as he prepares to face a Longhorn run defense that has been exposed this season. Hunter has cracked the 200-yard mark on two occasions, in the season opener against Washington State and Oct. 23 against Nebraska, and has been held below 100 yards in just two of OSU’s nine games. The dynamic tailback is among the top 20 nationally in all-purpose yards and scoring, and at 5-foot-8- inches and 197 pounds, Hunter can be tough to pick out behind the Cowboys’ offensive line. Hunter burned the Longhorns for 161 yards and a score when he last faced Texas in 2008.

Fresh off an impressive comeback win, the Jayhawks have announced a new starting quarterback.

Head coach Turner Gill announced on Tuesday that thirdstring quarterback Quinn Mecham will start this week against No. 8 Nebraska.

Mecham was the force behind the Jayhawks’ 35-point comeback win over Colorado on Saturday.

He threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns in the 52-45 victory.

Mecham’s teammates are extremely happy with his performance, and they praised him for engineering the comeback.

“That’s where it started,” said Kansas offensive coordinator Chuck Long. “Quinn gained some confidence to take it 80 yards on the road. They just stayed with it.”

With the win, Kansas is moving forward and taking advantage of its momentum. Though the team hasn’t won much this season, the Jayhawks are taking pride in their win over the Buffs.

“Take where our program is, where we are,” said KU defensive coordinator Carl Torbush. “To get behind like that and still win, I think that says something about the makeup of the players, the head coach and coaching staff.”

Kansas State yet to name starting QB for this week

Brandon Weeden, QB

Brody Schmidt | Associated Press

The former minor-league baseball player was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after breaking school records for passing yards (435) and completions (34) against Baylor a week ago. Weeden, in his first year as the starter, also set the school mark for completions in a season with 229, just nine games into his junior campaign. Weeden leads the conference in passing yards and touchdowns and ranks second in total offense. The Cowboys like to keep Weeden in the pocket, where he can get the ball into the hands of his playmakers downfield or hand the pigskin off to one of the best runners in the game. Weeden has a wide array of weapons at his disposal, and he has spread the wealth around this year to discourage defenses from doubling receivers or stacking up against the run. What the 27-year-old lacks in game experience, he makes up for with proper reads — he’s completing more than 67 percent of his throws.

While the Jayhawks have a clear answer to their quarterback questions, it is not so cut-and-dry for the Wildcats.

During his weekly news conference Tuesday, Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder said Collin Klein and Carson Coffman are both being considered for the starting role. He said it could take him all the way up until Saturday’s 11:30 a.m. kickoff at Missouri to make a final decision.

“Flip a coin,” Snyder said when asked who would get the start.

“Who do you want?”

Klein led the Wildcats to a huge victory over Texas last Saturday and did it with his pocket mobility and quick feet, rushing for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Daniel Thomas sees this as a way to confuse defenses.

“Collin, he’s a great runner,” Thomas said. “Teams got to respect that. Texas didn’t know

what to expect with Collin, because they’d never seen him on film. Collin opens it up for me and for everybody else because he’s such a threat to run the ball.”

However, Klein was only 2-for4 passing. Coffman is a different player. He settles into his passes and has a powerful arm, not to mention he is a senior leader of the team. He has thrown for more than 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns this year.

Klein will be ready to play, regardless of who gets the nod.

“I think our team is going to work really hard no matter who is back there,” Klein said. “It is a little strange. It’s probably not the typical mold you would see.

But maybe that credits coach Snyder’s leadership and the maturity of our team to be able to perform when there is a little uncertainty at that position.”

Nebraska still winning despite turnover problem

The Cornhuskers narrowly escaped a loss last week versus Iowa State.

However, Nebraska still has a lot of problems after turning the ball over five times against the Cyclones. The team’s ball-security issues are the biggest unanswered question to an otherwise successful year.

However, the Cornhuskers now have a staggering 31 fumbles on the year, though they’ve lost just 11 of those. No team in the Big 12 has more than 22.

Still, a usually hot-headed head coach Bo Pelini was simply happy to get the victory, and instead of getting frustrated, he immediately began plans for his team’s date with Kansas.

“You win a football game — I don’t care how you do it — you enjoy it,” Pelini said. “I don’t care if you win 101-100. In the end, you have to win. You find a way.”

STANDINGS BIG12 NORTH 1. Nebraska 2. Missouri 3. Kansas St. 4. Iowa St. 5. Kansas 6. Colorado

CONF. OVERALL 4-1 3-2 3-3 3-3 1-4 0-5

8-1 7-2 6-3 5-5 3-6 3-6

15

Friday, November 12, 2010

BIG 12 South notebook — By Alexandra Carreno | Daily Texan Staff

Lack of big-time plays limits Oklahoma offense Oklahoma has been plagued by one thing all season — the lack of big-play scoring.

While one of the best when scoring within the 5-yard line, the Sooners are one of the worst teams when attempting to score outside the 20.

“It would be nice with the speed and skill we have to make some big plays,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said. “It’s surprising we haven’t had a few more.”

Surprise it is, as the Sooners only have eight touchdowns this season from outside the red zone. No offensive or special teams touchdowns have been made thus far.

At 7-2, the Sooners’ bid to win the Big 12 South title is still alive, but they would need to win consecutive games against Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State.

“We move the football, but we’re going to need to score to have a chance to be at the top of the Big 12 at the end,” Wilson said.

“That’s not slighting our defense, but with the teams we’re getting ready to play, these aren’t going to be 17-to-14 games. In this day and age in the Big 12 South, you have to put up points.”

OSU trio has team ready to win first South title In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, Oklahoma State is surpassing expectations with the help of a few fundamental players.

Brandon Weeden, Justin Blackmon and Kendall Hunter are standouts for the Cowboys this season as their efforts have given the team a shot at the Big 12 South title.

For quarterback Weeden, having both Blackmon and Hunter to get the ball to makes things less worrisome.

“It makes my job a lot easier,” Weeden said. “To just turn and hand the ball to 24 [Hunter] and throw it to 81 [Blackmon]. They’re two of the best in the country, that’s without a doubt.”

Statistically the Cowboys’ trio is the best in college football. While Weeden leads the nation in touchdown passes (26), Blackmon leads the nation with 1,285 total receiving yards, 160.6 receiving yards per game and 15 receiving touchdowns. Right behind Blackmon is Kendall who is third in the country for both rushing touchdowns

(14) and yards per game (137.8).

Hunter and Blackmon are two of the 16 semifinalists for the annual Maxwell Award which honors college football’s top player.

At 8-1 and the top of the Big 12 South division, the Cowboys just need to get past Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma in hopes of advancing to the Big 12 Championship.

Briles, Baylor moving on after loss to Cowboys Move forward. That is the mentality the Baylor nation has upheld this week after a tough loss against Oklahoma State last Saturday.

“It’s just a confidence, we know who we are,” said Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin. “It’s not an identity crisis. We lost two bad games — to TCU and Oklahoma State — and we just didn’t play well in those games.”

This season, the Bears are different. They have shown the ability to bounce back after a tough loss; after losing to TCU, Baylor beat its next two opponents, and after a nail-biting loss to Texas Tech, the Bears went on to win their next three games.

Beating Texas A&M this weekend would prove the Bears newfound resilience.

“They play us tough every year, and it’s always a hard-fought game,” said Baylor cornerback Clifton Odom. “We still have kind of a bad taste in our mouths from last year, so we’ll definitely be thinking about that.”

The Bears lost last season in College Station 38-3. Baylor struggled to comeback from losses last year and ended up dropping stretches of three and four games each.

“We are refocusing, recharging, getting ready to go,” said Baylor head coach Art Briles on Sunday.

“They are coming off a huge win last night over OU, which is a big program win for them, so it will be a great atmosphere at Floyd Casey Stadium next Saturday night. We are proud to be a part of it.”

STANDINGS BIG12 SOUTH 1. Oklahoma St. 2. Baylor 3. Oklahoma 4. Texas A&M 5. Texas Tech 6. Texas

CONF. OVERALL 4-1 4-2 3-2 3-2 3-4 2-4

8-1 7-3 7-2 6-3 5-4 4-5

16

Friday, November 12, 2010

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Big-name recruits bring more hype than skill at times

By Dan Hurwitz Daily Texan Columnist

Go back and watch high school highlights of some of the current Longhorns.

On YouTube you will see Tre’ Newton, DeSean Hales and Chris Whaley breaking tackle after tackle for 80-yard touchdowns as standout running backs.

Garrett Gilbert and John Chiles can be seen as standout quarterbacks.

The future of Texas football looked perfect.

But watching videos of high school superstars can be extremely misleading. A five-star recruit doesn’t mean as much as it’s made to. Just because a player is mauling undersized and unathletic defenders doesn’t mean that they will be able to immediately walk on to a football field and put on the same show that they could under the Friday night lights.

Texas owns the recruiting in this state. But it doesn’t matter what the players are when they come to college, it’s what they do once they step onto campus. In high school, for the most part, it’s the superstar and everyone else.

It’s pretty much one player taking over the show.

But after graduation is over and the high school hero arrives

at college, he learns that everyone on the new team was once the big man on campus.

Mack Brown gets several of the top recruits in the country each year, and many end up being productive players at college — but many don’t.

Although fans love to get all worked up about new recruits, people have to remember that a lot can and will change after the letter of intent is signed.

Five-star recruits won’t pan out to be as great as planned: see Eddie Jones and Alex Okafor. Some two- and three-star recruits end up being superstars: see Colt McCoy and Sam Acho.

And while Brown has his pick of pretty much whoever he wants year after year, there are many that have gotten away who were not even courted.

Texas was nowhere to be seen on current Stanford quarterback and Houston native Andrew Luck’s list of hopeful schools.

TCU quarterback Andy Dalton of Katy got passed on by every BCS conference school. Oregon’s star running back LaMichael James and Oregon State’s star running back Jacquizz Rodgers were both overlooked by Texas and left their home state.

Obviously Texas can’t get every player. Other schools are able to offer more playing time immediately among other benefits (whether

RECRUITS continues on page 21

17

Friday, November 12, 2010 Sponsored by:

GAMEStoWATCH — By Jon Parrett | Daily Texan Staff

Georgia @ No. 2 Auburn 5-5 (3-4 SEC) Last game: 55-7 win vs. Idaho State

10-0 (6-0 SEC) Last game: 62-24 win vs. Chattanooga

No. 19 Mississippi St. @ No. 12 Alabama 7-2 (3-2 SEC) Last game: 24-17 win vs. Kentucky

7-2 (4-2 SEC) Last game: 24-21 loss @ LSU

No. 23 S. Carolina @ No. 22 Florida 6-3 (4-3 SEC) Last game: 41-20 loss vs. Arkansas

6-3 (4-3 SEC) Last game: 55-14 win @ Vanderbilt

No. 24 Kansas St. @ No. 17 Missouri 6-3 (3-3 Big 12) Last game: 39-14 win vs. Texas

7-2 (3-2 Big 12) Last game: 24-17 loss @ Texas Tech

Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Ala. 2:30 p.m., CBS

Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 6:15 p.m., ESPN2

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla. 6:15 p.m., ESPN

Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo. 11:30 a.m., FSN

Maybe a warm-up game was just what Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green needed to get back on track. The junior made six catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns last week in the Bulldogs’ 55-7 romp over Idaho State, and he and quarterback Aaron Murray finally seem to be on the same page. Auburn hasn’t faced a receiver as good as Green yet so it will be interesting to see if Auburn’s pass defense, which is ranked No. 11 in the conference, can contain Green.

Green was at the center of NCAA violations at the beginning of the season, but now it’s Cam Newton’s turn. Newton will have to play through the distractions surrounding his recent investigations if the Tigers hope to beat a feisty Bulldog team that is still not bowl eligible. If Auburn slips up in this trap game, the Tigers’ shot at the BCS title game could slip away.

Alabama’s chance to repeat as national champion ended last week, after coming up short against Louisiana State in Baton Rouge for its second loss of the season.

Running back Mark Ingram has struggled to reproduce the success he had as a sophomore — last week’s 97 yards against the Tigers was the closest he’s come to 100 yards in six games.

Mississippi State will look to avenge a 31-3 beat down the Tide handed to it last year in Starkville. Head coach Dan Mullen has the Bulldogs respectable and they’re riding a six-game win streak that includes victories over Florida and Georgia. Quarterback Chris Relf is second on the team in rushing and leads an option offense that will hope to catch the Tide off balance in this pivotal SEC West matchup.

This game is essentially the SEC East Championship Game, as the winner will represent the East in Atlanta. The Gamecocks are reeling after a 41-20 loss at home to Arkansas. Running back Marcus Lattimore was held to less than 40 yards rushing for the second time this season — he had only 33 yards earlier this year in a loss to Auburn.

Head coach Steve Spurrier is only 1-4 against his alma mater but has a chance to get back to his first SEC championship game since 2000, when he coached at Florida.

Florida hasn’t won the SEC East three straight years since owning the division from 1991-1996 but it has a chance to do that Saturday. Since Florida head coach Urban Meyer installed the no-huddle offense against Georgia two weeks ago, the Gators have scored 89 points — they scored 42 in the three games before the change.

Missouri’s Big 12 title hopes are all but over after last week’s loss to Texas Tech, as the Tigers need to win out and have Nebraska lose two more times. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert struggled last week against the worst passing defense in the Big 12 and only managed 95 yards on 12of-30 passing.

Kansas State is coming off an impressive win over Texas and at 6-3, will appear in its first bowl since 2006. Running back Daniel Thomas’ 122 rush yards per game has him ranked second in the conference — the Wildcats will need to utilize him Saturday to keep the ball out of Gabbert’s hands.

Kansas State surprised Texas last week by starting Collin Klein over Carson Coffman at quarterback, so it’ll be interesting to see who head coach Bill Snyder goes with against the Tigers.

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Friday, November 12, 2010

Big-hit calls arrive in Big 12 to mixed views from coaches

By Alexandra Carreno Daily Texan Staff The trickle-down effect from the NFL’s big-hit crackdown is beginning to make its way onto the college football landscape.

In the wake of malicious hits seen across the NFL, it was only a matter of time until the league’s recent enforcements would force the issue within the Big 12. With the Week 8 suspension of Nebraska linebacker Eric Martin for what was deemed a flagrant hit, the Big 12 has begun traversing down a slippery slope where the repercussions could be immense.

“You’re looking at acts that are flagrant, that are obviously intentional — acts that a player could’ve achieved the same thing without, specifically, targeting a player’s head, particularly with helmet-to-helmet contact,” said Walt Anderson, coordinator of Big 12 officials.

In the wake of Martin’s suspension, another controversial hit involved a Nebraska player. A Week 9 collision between Cornhusker safety Courtney Osborne and Missouri quarterback Blain Gabbert left Gabbert momentarily disoriented in the fourth quarter. After reviewing the play, in-game officials declined to call a penalty on the helmet-to-helmet hit, resulting in Missouri losing 11,yards.

“It’s just taking the football out of football. It’s a contact sport,” Martin said. “You can’t say the quarterback was defenseless. Or the kickoff guy was defenseless.

You’re out there — you know that’s something’s bound to happen. You can’t be defenseless if you’re in the play. If you know the play’s going on, there’s nothing defenseless about it.”

After the Osborne sack, many began to wonder if his hard hit would merit punishment. But after an official Big 12 review, it did not.

So what exactly defines an intentional helmet-to-helmet hit and what does not?

“It’s not an exact science,” Anderson said. “Football is a contact sport. At times, it’s a very violent contact sport.”

So while the exact definition of an illegal hit remains ambiguous, the suspensions levied on players are very real.

It’s safe to say that this

Next issue: Nov. 19

Florida Atlantic

Dave Weaver | Associated Press

Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini argues a call in NU’s game against Missouri. Pelini is one of many critics of illegal-targeting penalties. issue is not an NFL or a collegiate one. It is simply a football issue. The gray area created in football leaves some supporting the mentality that it is just part of the game while others say something needs to be done to stop the excessive roughness of football.

“Surfaces change and people duck and so many things happen so fast,” said Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini. “I think every situation is a bit different, and it has gotten to the point where it is hard for officials to call it. It’s a difficult thing.”

While illegal hits have raised red flags in the NFL recently, two years ago the NCAA rules committee changed the wording in its own rule regarding personal fouls in an effort to reduce targeting or contact in the head area.

Intentional use of the crown of the helmet was made illegal.

“In 2008, the committee introduced a separate rule prohibitng initiating contact with and targeting a defenseless opponent,” the rule book now reads.

Locally, Texas head coach Mack Brown said he would formally suggest to college football rule officials moving the kick-off location to the 35-yard line in an effort to reduce the amount of returns that create high speed collisions, like the one Martin was suspended for. In 2007, kickoffs were moved back to the kicking team’s 30-yard line.

“Officials are going to be on red alert, that when they see these types of acts, we are going to call this a foul,” Anderson said. “Our coaches understand where the emphasis is.

They don’t always agree on the decision at the time, but I think, overall, they understand the emphasis.”

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Friday, November 12, 2010

injuries: Freshmen start

in place of hurt veterans From page 10 lineman who remains quick out of his stance while Wilson is a speedy end who was the leading tackler in last year’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Meanwhile in the secondary, A.J. White and Carrington Byndom, fill in as backup corners after Chykie Brown’s unfortunate accident last game left the position a little thin. The two freshmen were both top 10 high school corners and have gained steady time on special teams. At least one needs to step up with the loss of of both Chykie and Curtis Brown next year and the looming departures of Blake Gideon and Aaron Williams within the next two.

In addition, freshman safety Adrian Phillips is behind Gideon at the strong safety spot.

Phillips is also the team’s newest starting punt returner thanks to his progress in practice and

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could provide the spark Texas has seriously lacked at that position in 2010.

Freshman William Russ, a two-star recruit out of Louisiana, was known for his punting in high school but also has a boomer of a leg on kickoffs and will back up Justin Tucker in that capacity this weekend.

If you want to be among the first people to get a look at the core of next season’s Texas team, the process is simple: Go to this weekend’s matchup against the ‘Pokes.

The above mentioned players will get disparate amounts of field time, or they might not play well at all. Hell, Texas could even lose the way OSU is looking. But where will you be when McCoy throws his first touchdown pass or Phillips returns his first punt for a score? The seeds of tomorrow’s Longhorns are being sown today and if you don’t stop to check it out the moment might pass you by.

recruits: Acho, McCoy show

pedigree doesn’t equal talent From page 16 legal or not). But what Texas can do is develop these players.

This season, other than Acho and maybe kicker Justin Tucker, no player is really stepping up.

The Longhorns need to find those players, the next McCoy or Acho — players who can play four years and make a huge impact both on and off the field. Neither of them were supposed to be that good. Texas needs to start looking ahead to next year with the idea of change on its mind.

The Longhorns will welcome five-star running back Malcolm Brown next season, but can he live up to the hype? He can’t solely be relied on to turn things around next year. For all we know, he may be a huge bust.

Though he did run for 231 yards and three touchdowns on only eight carries in a game, what’s going to happen when Oklahoma is lining up on the other side of the line? He is going to have to continue to develop and

not assume that just everything will be given to him. He can’t afford to be like Whaley, who was a huge back who was supposed to be a beast, but failed to get his act together.

High school talent is irrelevant once college comes around. Recruiting rankings are not important.

But the videos online sure are fun to watch.

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Five-star recruits at Texas since 2007 2007: OL Tray Allen CB Curtis Brown 2009: QB Garrett Gilbert DE Alex Okafor OL Mason Walters 2010: LB Jordan Hicks DE Jackson Jeffcoat

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22

Friday, November 12, 2010

Next issue: Nov. 19

Florida Atlantic

position BATTLES — By Austin Laymance | Daily Texan Staff

Aaron Williams, CB vs.

Justin Blackmon, WR

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Williams did not play a week ago after suffering a head injury against Baylor Oct. 30 and will need to step up in place of cornerback Chykie Brown, who was lost for the season after breaking

his arm. Blackmon is a worldclass athlete and will catch the ball all over the field. Williams has the quickness to cover the explosive receiver but will need to shake the cobwebs off early.

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score and will be looking for a repeat performance against an undersized Texas front. If Hunter eludes Acho and gains the edge, watch out, the Texas-native is rarely run down from behind.

Garrett Gilbert, QB vs.

Orie Lemon, LB Lemon leads the Cowboys in tackles, controls the middle of the field and will have his eyes on Gilbert’s No. 7 jersey for four quarters. Lemon has active hands in the passing game and will break

up any throws that come his way, so Gilbert must be wary of his presence while looking down the middle. If Gilbert tucks it and runs, Lemon will be quick to locate the mobile QB.

23

Friday, November 12, 2010

HEISMAN watch — By Jon Parrett | Daily Texan Staff

Cam Newton, Auburn QB Last Week: (62-24 W vs. Chattanooga) 15/21 for 317, 4 TDs; eight carries for 24 yards, 1 TD Season: 123/183 passing (67.2%) for 1890 yards, 19 TDs, 5 INTs; 1146 yards rushing, 15 TDs Stock: Same Newton used last week’s game against Chattanooga to fine-tune his stats, but the Heisman hopeful has been in the news recently for reasons other than his superb play. Newton is at the center of recruiting violations while at Blinn College and allegations that he cheated while at Florida.

LaMichael James, Oregon RB Last Week: (53-16 W vs. Washington) 26 carries for 123 yards, 3 TDs Season: 196 carries for 1331 yards (6.8 ypc), 17 TDs; eight receptions for 138 yards, 1 TD Stock: Same With Newton getting all the attention and primed for a slip-up, James needs to keep producing to steal the Heisman away. At this point, all James can hope for is that Newton has a bad game, or is ruled ineligible by the NCAA.

Andrew Luck, Stanford QB Last Week: (42-17 W vs. Arizona) 23/32 for 293 yards, 2 TDs Season: 175/258 passing (67.8%) for 2213 yards, 22 TDs, 6 INTs Stock: Up Luck came out on top in last week’s rematch with Arizona QB Nick Foles, but his chances in the Heisman race hinge on Newton and James having bad games. Luck also needs a couple of monster games to support his candidacy — he’s only thrown for over 300 yards just twice this season.

Kellen Moore, Boise St. QB Last Week: (42-7 W vs. Hawaii) 30/37 for 507 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs Season: 155/216 passing (71.8%) for 2372 yards, 21 TDs, 4 INTs Stock: Same Moore was nearly perfect last week against Hawaii, but he still needs either Auburn or Oregon to slip in the polls to have a shot at the Heisman.

Boise State’s strength of schedule just isn’t good enough for voters to consider Moore the best player in college football.

ON THE CUSP: WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State QB Denard Robinson, Michigan

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