A Few Pregame UTEP Thoughts

• Every year we have a handful of games in which our offense shows up completely unprepared to play the game of football.  These are the games in which our only apparent “game plan” is to script the first 15 plays and then keep calling the 7 or 8 that didn’t suck too badly. 

In some years, like 2005, there are only a couple.  Last year, we had five or six such games.  Arkansas State was one, TCU was another, UCF a third, Kansas State, Nebraska, Baylor and finally, and most disgustingly, the A&M game in which the offense didn’t scratch until only 7 minutes remained to be played.

I have a feeling - ok, let’s call it a hope, really - that we will see fewer such brain-dead games from our offense this year.  The addition of the very intense Major Applewhite is one reason for my improved feeling of comfort here.   The more intense practice regimen that seems to have carried over from the game prep for last year’s Holiday Bowl pasting of Arizona State is another.  And the improved performance from the offensive line we saw last Saturday evening is a third.

At any rate, if we are going to have any such games this year, it seems to me that this week’s game against UTEP sets up as a likely suspect.  We’re playing on the road against an inferior opponent.  Favored by 26.5 points to win, UTEP got stomped by some college called Buffalo last week.  The game starts at 9:15 body clock time for our players, which won’t help matters.  Plus, UTEP is coached by a pretty good staff, and likely not nearly as bad as they appeared to be last week.

Add it all up, and this game sets up as one that could lead to a somewhat lackadaisical attitude from our players and coaches regarding preparation for the opponent at hand.  I’m not necessarily predicting a poor offensive performance on Saturday - just saying that if we’re going to have any  brain-dead performances similar to the ones we saw so often in 2007, this week is a very likely suspect. 

I’m just sayin’.

• Cody Johnson - one thing I’m looking for this week is whether or not this kid gets some more shots at running the ball in something other than mop-up time.  He’s a very intriguing talent, and showed some real promise in the limited action he saw last week.  The Greg Davis offense really requires a difference-maker at the tailback slot in order to make the running game work.  The scheme itself uses so little misdirection that our blockers tend to always be outnumbered at the point of attack, requiring the runner to either break tackles or make some moves within the line to avoid tackles.  Both Vondrell and Obannaya are one-cut backs who give fine effort but really go down pretty easily, not the kind of back that is likely to make this running game go against truly good defenses.  Johnson might have the ability to be that guy, and we need to find out.  This week seems to present an opportunity to do that.
• I love the fact that Colt is a fine runner, and appears to have actually added a bit of speed over last  year.  Still, we can’t compete for the Big 12 championship if he is going to be our leading rusher.  Plus, he really took a needless beating last week - if he goes down to injury, this season is going to be very sad.  Chiles is not remotely ready to be our starting QB.  I’d sure like to see Colt run the ball much less this week.
• Starting cornerbacks - who will they be?  Palmer is still listed as a starter, but he sure seemed like a liability out there last week, and you wonder how long that will last.
• Defensive scheme - I’m guessing this is going to be another week in which we mainly stay in our base defense and don’t show much, and that’s just fine.

This game looks to me like about a 35-10 win for the good guys.

Hook ‘em!!!