The hiring of Will Muschamp has Texas fans rightfully excited. The guy is one of the best defensive coordinators in college football and there are a lot of people out there who think that a great defense is what is keeping Texas from winning championships.
I've always thought that it was better for a Mack Brown coached team to have a great offense rather than a great defense. So I'm going to look at the great defenses that Mack Brown has had at both North Carolina and Texas and see if they led to a championship. I'm defining a great defense as one that ranks in the Top 10 nationally in both total defense and scoring defense.
1996 North Carolina - Ranked in the top 5 in the nation in every defensive category and did not give up more than 20 points in any game that season. They get extra credit for doing it in such faggoty uniforms.
Florida State won the conference that year, and North Carolina finished 2nd. Florida St beat them 13-0.
1997 North Carolina - Again ranked in the top 5 in the nation in every defensive category and did not give up more than 20 points in any game that season.
Florida State once again won the conference, handing North Carolina their only loss 20-3.
2000 Texas - Ranked in the top ten in total, rushing and pass efficiency defense and ranked number eleven in scoring defense. I know I said top ten, but forty two of those points given up were defensive and special team touchdowns. Take those away, and it would have been top ten.
Oklahoma won the conference with Texas finishing second. A distant second. Bob Stoops made a statement by destroying Texas 63-14. Total team breakdown.
2001 Texas - This was the best defense Brown has had at Texas, and it was ranked in the top six in total, scoring, rushing and pass efficiency defense.
Despite losing to Oklahoma 14-3, Texas won the South Division. Chris Simms' meltdown in the championship game against Colorado led to a heartbreaking 2 point loss.
2005 Texas - Ranked in the top ten in total, scoring and pass efficiency defense.
Texas shelled OU 45-12, and went on to win both the conference and the national championship.
So what have we learned?
1) Mack Brown can be counted on to have the second best team in his conference.
2) Mack Brown will have the second best team in his conference because he can't beat the best team in the conference.
3) Mack Brown can't beat the best team because his offense can't score any points against them.
Defense be damned.