Getting it done when scoring opportunities arise

by Barking Carnival Staff on Oct 28, 2008 11:58 AM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Football

Do you remember when we struggled mightily when we got to Goal to Go situations a few years back? Well, no longer.

In 8 games this year, Texas has had 24 FIRST AND GOAL situations (3 per game). We have scored 23 touchdowns (16 rushing and 7 passing) in 44 plays. That is an amazing 96% scoring percentage on less than 2 plays per trip. We are getting there and punching it in almost immediately. Obviously, our lone unsuccessful trip was last week versus Oklahoma State in the last 2+ minutes of the game.

Stepping back out to the Red Zone area, Texas has had 46 RZ opportunities (almost 6 per game). We have scored 42 times (91% success rate, 80% TD rate) -- 37 TDs (21 rushing and 16 passing) and 5 FGs. We average 5.96 points per trip inside the red zone. Whoa.

The four unsuccessful trips (in reverse order of appearance)?
1. Turnover on Downs mentioned above
2. Colt McCoy fumble at the 5:27 mark of the 4th quarter against Oklahoma State at the 10 yard line.
3. We knelt on the ball in the victory formation to end of the Missouri game at the 19 yard line.
4. Colt interception at the 14 yard line of UTEP during the first drive of the second half at 12:38 mark.

#3 is a stat anomoly (i.e. not really an unsuccessful RZ trip). So, we managed over 5 straight games without a red zone error. That's clutch in a way that even Huck can understand.

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how much of this do you/we attribute to colt’s ability to run? that has to keep defenses on their toes when we line up at the 6 in the gun and he’s every bit the running threat that the back is…

by huge on Oct 29, 2008 11:07 AM CDT reply actions

Thanks for that mammoth portion of red meat, Bragg. Those are phenomenal stats.

Even with that kind of prodigious redzone success rate, I still pucker when we line up first and goal from the 5. I feel like a nervous lab rat that’s been conditioned to years of negative reinforcement. While the drip bottle and snack dispenser no longer shock me, the memories keep me humble — and grateful.

Good point, huge. It seems that Colt is unstoppable as a runner once he gets some momentum and his shoulders square to the goal line. Even that makes me nervous. Everytime he meets resistance around paydirt I’m expecting to see one of those tree-trunk hammers from ‘Braveheart’ come smashing down, causing his forehead to intersect with his collarbone.

This statistical evidence will make me less reluctant to sip the soothing tea and invest in optimism.

Shipley’s catch in the back of the endzone against Oklahoma serves as a warning on film. If we’re around the five, you have about fifteen yards of space to defend, not just the line of scrimmage.

23 touchdowns in 24 first and goal situations. Wow. Just saying that outloud makes me giddy.

Also, I cackled at the “OU Misses Mike Stoops” tag. Okay, maybe I just tittered … or snickered.

by Chooky on Oct 29, 2008 1:32 PM CDT reply actions