Texas Ranked #4

[HizzleRocker]

Phil Steele has Texas ranked #4 in the country.

Analyst ranks Texas #4 in preseason poll - YNN - Your News Now

Thoughts?

 

[Red_Alert]

They've got the talent to be there.

 

[The Iron Horse]

Phil is hitting the bong a little too hard.

 

[TonyTheGator]

So, how much are they paying him for that speaking appearance at the school?

 

[HizzleRocker]

Yes I'm flattered, and yes I'm a homer.

With that being said, I will also defend it.

Coming off a 9 win season, with a bowl win - Texas returns 19 starters (more than any other team in the country). We return every single player on offense!

Our defense played most of last year without our best pass rushing DE in Jackson Jeffcoat, and without the quarterback and leader of the defense in LB Jordan Hicks. Both are returning healthy this year.

We return our #1, #2, and #3 Qbs. We return our #1, #2, #3, and #4 Rbs.

 

[fordman84]

I guess the "A", "&", and "M" buttons weren't working but he sent the story to print anyways.

 

[TonyTheGator]

Yes I'm flattered, and yes I'm a homer.

With that being said, I will also defend it.

Coming off a 9 win season, with a bowl win - Texas returns 19 starters (more than any other team in the country). We return every single player on offense!

Our defense played most of last year without our best pass rushing DE in Jackson Jeffcoat, and without the quarterback and leader of the defense in LB Jordan Hicks. Both are returning healthy this year.

We return our #1, #2, and #3 Qbs. We return our #1, #2, #3, and #4 Rbs.

And to counter your defense, I will state why #4 is too high. Two words.......Mack & Brown.

 

[ellupo]

And to counter your defense, I will state why #4 is too high. Two words.......Mack & Brown.

Cant agrue with Tony on this one. TX always has the talent to be top 5 but if they coaches are not getting the production out of them it will not matter.

 

[fordman84]

There really shouldn't be much fight from anyone in the Big12 this year. I could see Texas going undefeated. they do finally have the most veteran group. I think about the only team that could mount a challenge would be TCU or Baylor. OU will be OU, but new QB. OSU and TT always seem to have at least one surprise per season, so who knows. Kstate is going to be terrible along with Kansas.

Could be a cakewalk for them

 

[HizzleRocker]

TCU is going to have a really really good team this year. They are stacked everywhere. They are returning most everyone - and they get their QB back who was suspended last season.

OSU is the next likely Big 12 suitor. They seem to be the media darlings of the Big 12 right now, but I have them ranked #3.

1) Texas/TCU
2) TCU/Texas
3) Oklahoma State
4) Baylor (surprise team)
5) OU

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

#4 is not unrealistic.

Contrary to popular belief, Texas was not loaded with talent the last 3 years.

They were loaded with a ton of teenagers and baby bevo talents.
Texas had a ton of YOUNG TALENT that was barely old enough to drive in 2011 and 2012.

Yes, the 2010 team was a failure as a lot of player did not pan out.
As a result, Texas had to essentially reload in 2011 and 2012 to recover from the 2010 fiasco.

They led the nation in most freshman players in both 2011 and 2012 which is BCS era record.
The reason for optimism in 2013 is that finally all that young stockpiling will be a little older.

1. Texas returns the most starters in the country.
2. Texas returns the most overall snaps played in the country from starters+reserves.
3. This is from a 9-4 team that finished in the top 20.

Take away the haterade.
Logically, with those 3 points the team should be a top 5 type of team.

Helping the Horns is that the Big 12 is being decimated by losses.
The league is weaker than its been in a while and Texas is stronger than its been in 4 years.

 

[starbigd]

I guess the "A", "&", and "M" buttons weren't working but he sent the story to print anyways.

Aggy has no defense. Your entire team has 4 sacks, and like 10 tackles for loss represented on the roster. Your offense may put up points, but you need time for Sumlin to bring in more defensive talent. Texas has a LOT more pro ready players than A&M.

 

[4down20]

Too high IMO.

Returning starters or not, they weren't THAT good last year.

This is a team that lost to West Virgina, which points to an offense that was lacking.
They were blown out by Oklahoma and gave up 63 points, a defense with holes.
They lost to a down TCU.
And they lost to K-State.

They did manage to beat Oregon St in a bowl game, but lets be honest here - Oregon St is not all that grand of a team and they only had a good season last year, but didn't really beat anyone of real consequence outside Wisconsin. Even the wins Oregon St had were for the most part not impressive. They had a good year, but it's not like Texas beat a powerhouse there.

The defense will get some help in league due to so many new Big 12 QB's and stuff. But just because your league is now weaker doesn't warrant a #4 ranking really.

And I'm not sold that bringing back those players means all that much. Obviously they should improve over last year, but is it really going to be that much improvement? I have my doubts.

Top25, maybe Top20 - Ok. But #4? Swinging for the fences a bit. Sadly, it's still probably got more merit than my #5 BYU.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Ok, take the top few teams and add Texas....

Bama AJ McCarron
Oregon Marcus Super Mario-TA
Ohio State Braxton Miller
Texas A&M Johnny Football
Georgia Aaron Murray
Stanford Kevin Hogan
Texas David Ash

Which teams QB doesnt belong? Not good enough QB play to go top 5...

 

[starbigd]

And to counter your defense, I will state why #4 is too high. Two words.......Mack & Brown.

Mack really isn't the on field problem, because he doesn't call offensive or defensive plays. He has to get better staff in terms of teaching the Xs and Os to the players.

Prime example - QB coaching and OL play......both of these areas have been lax in the last few years, with a major bust at those positions being recruited. If Applewhite and Searls can get even HALF the potential out of the QBs and OL, Texas goes undefeated in the conference.

Of course, we will see if they can get it done........as a fan, I have my doubts as well. We'll see early as KSU is the first conference game, and they always have our number.

 

[Droopdog51]

#4 is not unrealistic.

Contrary to popular belief, Texas was not loaded with talent the last 3 years.

They were loaded with a ton of teenagers and baby bevo talents.
Texas had a ton of YOUNG TALENT that was barely old enough to drive in 2011 and 2012.

Yes, the 2010 team was a failure as a lot of player did not pan out.
As a result, Texas had to essentially reload in 2011 and 2012 to recover from the 2010 fiasco.

They led the nation in most freshman players in both 2011 and 2012 which is BCS era record.
The reason for optimism in 2013 is that finally all that young stockpiling will be a little older.

1. Texas returns the most starters in the country.
2. Texas returns the most overall snaps played in the country from starters+reserves.
3. This is from a 9-4 team that finished in the top 20.

Take away the haterade.
Logically, with those 3 points the team should be a top 5 type of team.

Helping the Horns is that the Big 12 is being decimated by losses.
The league is weaker than its been in a while and Texas is stronger than its been in 4 years.

So there will be no excuses when the horns don't win the BIG XII? What you are doing is what Mack has done. You point to 2013 as "the year" and are not leaving yourself an out. I don't see Texas being a top 5 team.
1. Just because they return the most starters doesn't mean the starters from last year have taken a miracle pill and become All Americans this off season.
2. Even if t.u. is able to dominate the Big XII (in a down year for the conference), that doesn't mean the longhorns are one of the top teams in the country.
3. IF your starting QB had to battle to keep the starting spot all year long, what makes you think that he is going to all of the sudden become a top tier QB the first year under a rookie OC?
4. You may think that the Big XII is down but Art Bryles has a put out some quality QBs here recently, Bill Snyder usually comes up with something, Bob Stoops has a pretty decent track record with QBs. Its not like a 3 of those coaches are going to phone it in because they have a new QB this year. Mike Gundy had success last year with a 3rd string QB (and Texas needed a bad call to beat OSU last year).

I hope you have a good season right up to the end. It was so nice watching the big failure ant teh end of the year - every year - when Chris Simms was the QB. I made a ton of money off longhorn fans in the Chris Simms time.

 

[starbigd]

So there will be no excuses when the horns don't win the BIG XII? What you are doing is what Mack has done. You point to 2013 as "the year" and are not leaving yourself an out. I don't see Texas being a top 5 team.
1. Just because they return the most starters doesn't mean the starters from last year have taken a miracle pill and become All Americans this off season.
2. Even if t.u. is able to dominate the Big XII (in a down year for the conference), that doesn't mean the longhorns are one of the top teams in the country.
3. IF your starting QB had to battle to keep the starting spot all year long, what makes you think that he is going to all of the sudden become a top tier QB the first year under a rookie OC?
4. You may think that the Big XII is down but Art Bryles has a put out some quality QBs here recently, Bill Snyder usually comes up with something, Bob Stoops has a pretty decent track record with QBs. Its not like a 3 of those coaches are going to phone it in because they have a new QB this year. Mike Gundy had success last year with a 3rd string QB (and Texas needed a bad call to beat OSU last year).

I hope you have a good season right up to the end. It was so nice watching the big failure ant teh end of the year - every year - when Chris Simms was the QB. I made a ton of money off longhorn fans in the Chris Simms time.

We heard most of these same arguments in 2004.

The question really isn't the talent......it's the coaching. If Texas gets quality coaching, YES they are one of the top 5 teams in the country.

 

[TonyTheGator]

And to counter your defense, I will state why #4 is too high. Two words.......Mack & Brown.

Mack really isn't the on field problem, because he doesn't call offensive or defensive plays. He has to get better staff in terms of teaching the Xs and Os to the players.

Prime example - QB coaching and OL play......both of these areas have been lax in the last few years, with a major bust at those positions being recruited. If Applewhite and Searls can get even HALF the potential out of the QBs and OL, Texas goes undefeated in the conference.

Of course, we will see if they can get it done........as a fan, I have my doubts as well. We'll see early as KSU is the first conference game, and they always have our number.

Ultimately, the responsibility for the success or failure of any team falls on the HC's shoulders. If Mack Brown continues to keep the status quo, he is the problem. If he continues to support those assisstant coaches that are not getting the job done, it is his fault. No disrespect meant for anyone, that's just the way it is.

 

[starbigd]

Ultimately, the responsibility for the success or failure of any team falls on the HC's shoulders. If Mack Brown continues to keep the status quo, he is the problem. If he continues to support those assisstant coaches that are not getting the job done, it is his fault. No disrespect meant for anyone, that's just the way it is.

Agreed. Problem is we can't get rid of him......he'll never get fired by Dodds, because he continues to put money in the bank and recruit top end classes, even through the losses.

Texas IMO and Texas A&M are the two largest sleeping giants in all of college football.

 

[Droopdog51]

We heard most of these same arguments in 2004.

The question really isn't the talent......it's the coaching. If Texas gets quality coaching, YES they are one of the top 5 teams in the country.

I don't think that Texas has top 5 talent. Maybe when they were recuited they were rancked that high but I don't see it on the field last year. How many longhorns were top 5 at their position last year? Was David Ash a top 5 QB? Were any of the RBs top 5? Was there a top 5 O-lineman? Vicaro may have been top 5 but he's gone. There definately wasn't a top 5 WR last year.

Either the talent was overrated coming out of HS or it wasn't developed bythe coaching staff in Austin. What ever the reason, I just don't see Texs as having the talent of a top 5 team.