Texas vs. the Big 12, Pt. II

by RolloTamasi on Aug 9, 2025 7:40 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Football

We're back from the Dallas Zoo where the mountain lion hides in the shade and the tattooed handler feeds mice to the bearded lizards before your eyes!

In part I, we examined the lesser squads of the league as well as some of the more troublesome teams. Tim's anointing of the Red Raider defensive line notwithstanding (seriously? Better than the one with Brandon Williams, Dixon and Whitlock in 08?) the bottom half the of the Big 12 is nothing to write home about but certainly stronger than something you would find in most of the other conferences.

In review, we've got Texas pegged as a running team that is secretly building packages behind a vastly underrated interior OL and some dangerous young skill players paired with a defense that is strong enough for a Big 12 running game, loaded with pass-rushers, and backed by a solid safety duo that will have to cover for a green crop of corners.

Let's begin:

Thank God they aren't on the schedule:

Nebraska

Forget the fact that talent and venue doesn't seem to make a lick of difference when we play this team and consider these facts:

Somehow Jared Crick still has a year of eligibility left. He's coming off a 2nd consecutive season with 9 sacks playing defensive tackle and I did not think that would happen once he was no longer partnered with Suh. We had to avoid him and focused on running over Steinkuhler and their nickel personnel with unexpected QB running packages. I still think their nosetackle is overrated for his last name but it's a good bet that he drops his 6'6" frame to a better pad level in his 2nd year as a starter.

Their linebacker Lavonte David compiled 152 freaking tackles last year with 10 pass break-ups, 6 sacks and 9 other tackles for loss, he's pretty terrifying. The secondary returns another future 1st or 2nd round corner in Alfonzo Dennard Sr. plus their strong safety Cassidy. With Pellini defenses the key is this: returning players in the secondary means misery for passing offenses because they play team coverage unlike any other team I've observed in college football.

On offense the white ghosts are back and their embrace of the possibilities of shotgun/pistol option football makes them pretty formidable. Niles Paul is gone but it wouldn't take anything at all for T-Magic (not to be confused with a Michael Bolton-playing radio station) to be twice the decision maker he was last season. He single-handedly lost the Big 12 title lead to OU with a baffling display of incompetence which may have shortened Pellini's life expectancy by 10 years.

I think schematically they are way ahead of most of college football and I wouldn't relish trying to score on that defense after it's been adjusted to handle the physicality of Big 10 running games.

Alabama

I can't believe I'm saying this but with Greg McElroy they would be a runaway favorite against us and anyone else. The blitzing possibilities afforded by Texas' defensive roster plus the skill with which Diaz creates pressure makes Texas a tough matchup for any team with an inexperienced quarterback that could give us a puncher's chance.

You may recall that had McCoy not been injured or the offense not pulled that early red-zone boner that cost a touchdown Texas may have quickly built a multiple score lead on Alabama that would have necessitated that McElroy throw the ball. You may also recall that of the 11 times he dropped back to pass he was sacked on 5 of those occasions. My point is this, you could throw mad pressure at him and he didn't turn the ball over. He may not beat you but he was the ultimate game manager who would take any punishment before he coughed up the ball with a hasty decision.

Here is what Bama does have going for them though: An enormous offensive line with 4 starters back. From center to right tackle they go 294 lbs, 311 lbs, 335 lbs and were 2nd team SEC, All-American, and All SEC Freshman team respectively. Oh yeah, and Trent Richardson still plays there with Marquis Maze.

The defense is just about back to it's 2009 level as well. All their secondary starters are back and 3 of them were All-Americans last year, the other is Dre Kirkpatrick. The linebacker corp is about 32 deep I believe and the DL is stocked with Juco talent or returning starters. They would bury us and should we return to BCS level this year we shouldn't be eager to attempt to pay them back just yet.

50-50 propositions:

Missouri

Gary Pinkel's use of the TE part of the depth chart is deeply frustrating to me. This is a team the employs much of the same playbook that Greg Davis played with here and manages to put together a credible running game, field a tight end who can both catch and block, and still employ shotgun spread formations with wide splits.

They lost Gabbert, who threatened a good portion of the field, but have a returning 1000 yard receiver (TJ Moe) and this year's receiving tight end threat is named Michael Egnew. Should they start James Franklin we can be reminded of what happens when their QB is a running threat who isn't attempting to destroy a ring of power.

We're gonna have to hope that Diaz can confuse and corral Franklin because they have a lot of receiving options between their backs, receivers, and Egnew that we would not be able to man up on and out-execute. Did I mention that their tackles are returning starters that held OU without a sack?

On defense they have typically managed to field 1-3 NFL talents every season and Pinkel has converted that from run-stuffing safeties and future Pittsburgh DL to more useful guys like Zaviar Gooden who can run sideline-to-sideline and play coverage, or pass-rushers like Madison or Smith who took advantage of Aldon Smith's injuries to combine for 13 sacks last year.

Here's the brightside, they really only have the resources to be excellent at a limited number of things. If we can get to Franklin and stay in front of their skill people they can be had. Should they score early and plug our running game we'll be in a terrible spot playing in front of the kind of rowdy drunks who have been making Kansas bleed for over a century.

Oklahoma St.

Oklahoma St. has had the most underrated running game in college football for several seasons now due in large part to the magic that Joe Wickline works with their offensive line. Last year he transformed 4 new starters into the league's best unit and their diamond formation (3 backs forming a triangle around a QB in the pistol) proved to meld with zone-running and kendall hunter like the stench of bat crap to Aggy bravado.

I happen to think that the loss of Hunter and their no. 1 fullback Bryant Ward will make a big difference. Hunter did, after all, run for almost 1600 yards last season. Don't get too excited though because likely starter Randle averaged 5.5 ypc last year and had 400 receiving yards. He'll be deployed by former Jacksonville WR coach Todd Monken who has some experience in maximizing versatile backs.

Whatever is made of their running game, Weeden to Blackmon is something we couldn't stop with Aaron Williams or Curtis Brown and we certainly we won't have an easy answer without them. Weeden is a very mentally tough and intelligent quarterback besides having a great arm, great 2nd and 3rd targets, and a magnet in Blackmon.

If we can't shut down that running game they are going to drop at least 30 on us again, winning this game in a defensive battle is not a realistic vision.

They don't have a ton of scary personnel on defense but it's being directed by Bill Young, who turned Kansas football players into a dominant defensive unit. They use a "star" linebacker, which means that they play a S/LB hybrid as SLB like OU or Diaz prefers, and that player was a freshman All-American last year (Shaun Lewis). Their SS Markelle Martin is another play maker that broke up or intercepted 13 passes last season. Young's preferred style is to react and wrap-up, forcing you to earn your way down the field and his track record in that philosophy speaks for itself.

They really got burned a few times last year when teams had the skill talent to work them down the field (OU, Aggy) and whether the better league offenses can do that will depend a lot on whether they've found some players at defensive tackle in converted TE Nigel Nicholas or 332 pound Christian Littlehead. If the latter can keep their smallish linebacker corp clean of Mason Walters or Trey Hopkins that's a nice start. Like everyone else they're really built more to stop spread offenses than a 2-back Power/PA team but they won't automatically give up touchdowns just because we send out a fullback on 1st down either.

Game's in Austin again this year (thanks Nebraska!) which makes it a coin flip. Expect a slugfest in this one and I'll go on record as projecting a victory in one of these 2 contests.

Keep Miracle Max on speed dial:

Texas A&M

Texas is so selfish and entitled for daring to break up the Big 12 and force the Aggies and the rest of the league into a beneficial and fan-favored partnership with the PAC-10. Good thing we have those noble hearts in College Station who have the guts to do the right thing and head into the SEC alone, gutting the Big 12 and leaving the children with mommy Texas to provide for alone.

It gives me no joy to say that they are perfectly designed to defeat us in front of a starving fan base this thanksgiving. If they didn't already have a possible Red Zone target in young TE Nehemiah Nicks or junior WR duo Nwachukwu and Swope they have Jeff Fuller whom we will have to cushion like mad and double team within 20 yards of the end zone if not the entire field. With his 6-4 frame and ball skills he is a match-up nightmare and sadly not their only good receiver even if he is far and away their best.

Compounding that fact is that Vince Young wannabe Jerrod Johnson fell apart last year and granted Tannehill some valuable starting experience to prepare him for herding the sheep to the well of hidden delights this year. Tackles Jake Matthews and Luke Joeckel have each had some serious seasoning and could be the best pass-blocking ends in the conference.

The interior OL isn't bad either and worked our lot last year when Cyrus Gray went for 200 yards on our bowl "hopes". I hold out hope that our run defense will far stouter this year but Gray and Michael are very dangerous between the tackles and in the screen game. Sherman can attack the whole field with this offense so long as his thinking isn't interrupted by TV timeouts or those conniving Longhorn network reporters don't interrupt his afternoon naps, those cheating bastards. Oh to be in the SEC! where sportsmanship and the gentleman's code is honored like the very Word of God...

I might put our own defense or OU's at the top of the conference but DeRuyter has the right personnel to give us some real fits this year. They're using a legit 3-4 in which all 3 DL are actually guys who can hold up inside and they go 285-295-300 apiece. Space-eaters of the sort that the wrecking crew used to be built around. Fortunately they don't quite have the linebacker talent they were once famous for but Damontre Moore is definitely a credible replacement for Von Miller who was a once in a generation-type talent (at least I hope to God he was) and their other outside backer is dangerous as well. Hodges is gone but their Inside backers are of a solid quality and they generally stock that position pretty well.

The secondary is another unpleasant place with 4 starters back (and a good nickel as well), including Trent Hunter who has started 7 seasons in a row, and Coryell Judie who had 4 picks last season. They turned in very solid performances last year against the conferences' better receivers with very little pass-rush help on plays in which Von Miller missed with his pounces.

There is the talent at corner to allow for 8 man fronts against our running game and talent/size on the DL to not be plowed over. They are going to play us like it's the superbowl in front of a fanbase that wants blood and it will take turnovers, special teams, and some Boise-style magic to come out of this alive. It'd be nice if we caught Tannehill early before everyone else begins vetting him with blitzes and disguised coverages, tough luck there.

Their performance against the next team is another factor that could impact how they play us, perhaps a loss in Norman would demoralize the team if not the fans.

Check out the SPSB take here.

Oklahoma

Landry Jones played far better last year than I anticipated after his first season and his TD toss to Kenny Stills over good man coverage from Acho uno ocho in the RRS was very alarming. Perhaps in addition to having a fantastic understanding of the game Josh Heupel can relate it in his teaching as well. This is another QB who will be a little more prepared for the confusion Diaz is going to unleash this season, and I know Venables is going to throw some similar pressure concepts at him in practice all fall. Jones has the arm strength to really make you pay for a busted assignment or single coverage.

Stills and Broyles are All-American and All-Conference level WRs respectively and they've got a solid TE (seriously what the hell Mack!) and a now sophomore FB named Trey Millard that make their offense pretty multiple in the formations they can rush out there in their mad, blazing pace that always seemed to catch Muschamp for a few big plays. Perhaps most frightening is Broyles whom, as Aaron Williams can attest, can turn a missed tackle on the sideline into a quick score. Given our youth at Corner and Diaz's preference for Cover-3 you can be sure that Broyles will have many chances after short catches on the sideline this year.

They are losing DeMarco Murray who ran or received for big gains in 3 of 4 of his RRS games but Roy Finch has the look of a Quentin Griffin to me with his shifty cuts. There's also Brandon Williams whom we all would be coveting if not for how well Malcolm Brown compliments Jonathan Gray.

Their OL only gave up sacks on 3% of their snaps last season but I attribute much of that to their frequent QB rollouts and exhausting pace. I love Jeffcoat and Okafor vs. their tackles this season and we have better interior rush options this season with our blitz packages. Against their running game it may be a different matter and they have some talent inside starting with center Ben Habern, though his matchup with Randall last season wasn't remotely impressive, and the monstrous 320 lb. Tyler Evans. We bottled up this crew in the running game apart for some big plays on the edge last year so this is another game where Texas' addition of Hicks and Vaccaro to the equation are going to eliminate some opportunities in the open field enjoyed by teams last year.

Their pass-rush looks good assuming Ronnell Lewis' career arc looks anything like Sergio Kindle's, which any Sooner would assure you it does. Alexander started to get it together last year and Stoops may have the best pass-rushing end tandem I've seen there in years.

Truly sad what this offseason has done to their linebacker crew which was otherwise considered the best in conference. If Corey Nelson really was "the best defensive player by far" in their spring game the injury to Travis Lewis may not sting as bad but I hardly believe it. Nevertheless, Tony Jefferson IS ideally suited for their SLB "royback" position and their starting corners are among the best 4 or 5 in the conference.

Generally, because Stoops maintains so much continuity within his staff and their strategies we know what better OU teams look like. They can run the ball (likely), attack downfield (absolutely), have savvy playmakers at safety who punish and create turnovers (this years' SS is 175 pounds and neither started last year...), and unleash hell from the LB positions (already digging into the depth chart).

For those reasons I believe the key for their season and their defense is in whether or not Jamarkus McFarland makes the leap at defensive tackle and can disrupt our running game and create an interior pass-rush for them. If so, they can handle us and A&M en route to getting smashed by Alabama in the national title game. If not, it's an excellent defense and well-led offense that won't be able to escape the conference schedule without a loss or two. They get us and Okie Lite away from Norman, and that home winning streak won't last forever...but they're probably going to beat us.

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Read More: alabama crimson tide, bob stoops, dallas zoo, diamond formation, jeff fuller, mike sherman naps, missouri tigers, nebraska cornhuskers, oklahoma st. cowboys, shaun lewis, texas aampm aggies, texas aampm to sec, texas longhorns, Bill Young (WR - Dayton), Corey Nelson (LB - Oklahoma), Jamarkus McFarland (DT - Oklahoma), Jared Crick (DT - Nebraska), Justin Blackmon (WR - Oklahoma St.), Kheeston Randall (DT - Texas), Manny Diaz (DE - W. Michigan), Markelle Martin (S - Oklahoma St.)

Comments

Nickel, thanks for the writeup. May I make a self serving plug to my season outlook for A&M; over at Spence Park?
http://spenceparksoapbox.fantake.com/2011/08/07/high-expectations-%e2%80%93-aggie-football-2011/

Not as thorough as yours, but goes into our weaknesses a bit deeper. I do believe we are a tough matchup for your team this year, because I think we’ll be able to run the ball.

by Kilgore Trout on Aug 9, 2025 8:16 PM CDT reply actions

I’d give anything to say I disagree concerning agricultural and the paper clips, but I just don’t think the Horns can pull things together this year quickly enough to do anything more than make both of those games interesting.

I do expect UT to be significantly improved enough toward the end of the year to surprise fake army, especially if they’re dreaming sweet dreams of sugar plums and SEC membership over in Bagdad on the Brazos. I’m not confident enough of that to put any of my scarce cash on it happening, but I do think there’s a better chance against the cult than against zero-u.

I seriously hope our learning curve this coming season goes up enough to set us up nicely for ’12 and beyond.

by coolhorn on Aug 9, 2025 8:20 PM CDT reply actions

I can already smell the squirrels being grilled by Missouri fans in the Faurot Field parking lot.

Thanks for bonus dick punch by reminding me how much better than the Longhorns Nebraska and Bama are this year.

by Mano Cornuda on Aug 9, 2025 8:22 PM CDT reply actions

Rover – I believe “herding the sheep to the well of hidden delights” wins this month’s Best Euphemism prize. Your tote bag should be waiting for you in the basement of the Alamo.

As far as A&M; goes, I’ll say that while you may wish we played Tannehill early, I’d rather we get as many snaps as possible before that game comes. He’s not the one learning a new system in the offseason.

by Dagga Roosta on Aug 9, 2025 8:23 PM CDT reply actions

I see us with a 9-3 or 8-4 record. I say we lose one early we shouldn’t ala UCLA/BYU and then finish on a tear beating stronger than normal aggy and baylor teams.

I just think WE are the team that everyone wants to face early in the year. Learning a new defense AND a new offense will take time to gel.

by Orangechipper on Aug 9, 2025 8:56 PM CDT reply actions

Coolhorn, your biggest disadvantage against OU is playing them fairly early in the season. They have had tragedy, injury and now Ronnell Lewis is ineligible – but are going to be a pretty tough opponent. I don’t see A&M; losing to Texas in C.S. this year but that opinion could change depending on how the season plays out. On D we have the luxury of Deruyter for a 2nd year and they have installed the package must faster than in the 1st year and I expect they will play a lot faster this year as a result. I think your fanbase needs to temper things a bit given the 2 new coordinators and the amount your players need to learn as a result. Playing A&M; late is a definite advantage for Texas, but I think the schedule sets up better for us this year playing KU the weekend before T-day rather than the Corn.

by Kilgore Trout on Aug 9, 2025 9:18 PM CDT reply actions

I agree that Jones has shown flashes of greatness, but I still believe he’s merely above average and a good defense would wreck his shit. Dude only managed 6.1 Y/Att (less than Gilbert) last year. He feasts on shitty defenses but when put in a tight spot he has a tendency to start sucking in a hurry. Still, I’m guessing the most likely scenario will be a 2007 type loss, where we play them tough but a few mistakes end up costing us the win.

I’m hoping losing the Skullet will really hurt OSU as they were the only team that I feel really whipped us even when we showed up and fought hard. Obviously KSU destroyed us, but our team seemed completely unprepared for that game and could not give a fuck.

by Mad Clapper on Aug 9, 2025 9:58 PM CDT reply actions

I think people don’t realize the dropoff Okie State will have without Holgerson.

by Mulholland on Aug 9, 2025 10:24 PM CDT reply actions

Pinkel… dead man. Gundy… dead man. Sherman… dead man. Stoops… … DEAD.

by OldTimeHorn on Aug 9, 2025 10:30 PM CDT reply actions

I think you’ve got a good take on things Trout, and by the way, I’m not downing the burnt orange Kool-Aid just yet. I do think eight wins is very doable for the Horns this year, and that’s a definite step up from last abortion of a season. I also think we’re going to be a load for anybody late in the year, but yeah, I agree that agricultural has a year’s lead on us in
rebuilding, and that might be a bit much to overcome, given all the questions we have to have answered before then.

Lewis’ sore foot and the other Lewis’ ineligibility makes the clips a little more beatable, but as much as I hate to agree with Stoops on anything, they have recruited well and I’m pretty sure the dirt burglars will find someone to plug into their defense that can make plays.

I want UT to win both games, but if the Horns play both well, and win eight games and their bowl this year, I for one will consider it a good year, and a great start toward ’12.

by coolhorn on Aug 9, 2025 10:33 PM CDT reply actions

I’m on record around these parts as saying anything north of 7 wins should be considered a small miracle, and I still feel that way. After last year, I don’t see how you can call Iowa St, UCLA, BYU, or Baylor “gimme” games (Rice – sorry, you’re still fucked). I think we come out of RRR 3-2, but it wouldn’t shock me at all to be 2-3, either.

That having been said…neither ou nor aggy could “put us away” last year – and clearly we sucked to high heaven. I don’t think there is any way on earth that those two teams have improved as much as the ’Horns have since their respective last games. Even though we looked woefully inept in both games, we still had ou- and aggy-nation puckered up when the final seconds ran off the clock.

Does that mean I think we beat both teams? No. But it does mean it wouldn’t surprise me if we beat either of them and I certainly wouldn’t put it in the realm of “miracle.”

by adt2 on Aug 10, 2025 8:49 AM CDT reply actions

Kilgore Trout:

Ronnell Lewis hasn’t been declared ineligible yet. Lots of vagina rubbing going on, but nothing out from anyone credible.

by NateHeupel on Aug 10, 2025 9:35 AM CDT reply actions

“Even though we looked woefully inept in both games, we still had ou- and aggy-nation puckered up when the final seconds ran off the clock.”

OU was punting to what was obviously an abortion of an offense that had to march about 70 yards down the field in a minute, AND punch in a two point conversion. I think you just might be overstating it a wee bit.

by NateHeupel on Aug 10, 2025 9:39 AM CDT reply actions

I don’t understand all the A&M; hype.
- After needing 3 TDs in the 4th quarter to beat FIU, they went on to lose the next 3 games.
- “Tannehill was the difference!” Ehh..Ok, maybe. He completed 65% of his passes for 7 ypa (6th in the BIG 12), 137 QB rating which was good for 7th in the BIG 12. When he played against OU, NU, UT, and LSU he was somewhere between not so good and flat out bad.

Maybe there will be a lot of growth and development. I don’t keep up with the Aggies as much, but I think I remember reading that their line has been pretty young but talented, and should be very good this year (as we are hoping ours is next year). I’m not saying the Aggies are a bad team and will be an easy victory. Anyting but that. I just don’t get the top 10 love (and NC dark horse talk) based on what happened last year.

by ut-06 on Aug 10, 2025 10:18 AM CDT reply actions

Nate – we had you a lot more puckered than we did UCLA, Baylor, KSU, and OSU. I guess we at least had a better shot to tie the game against ISU. Maybe you can write if off since it is a rivalry game (anything can happen), but OU didn’t play that well against a very shitty UT team that had just gotten mud holed by freaking UCLA at home.

by ut-06 on Aug 10, 2025 10:29 AM CDT reply actions

ut-06.

Exhibit A: Christine Michael, our best running back (that’s right – Cyrus Gray is a backup) reported Sunday. And he obviously hasn’t been on the couch eating doughnuts while his broken leg healed.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/975/1michael.png

He may kill someone on the field this year.

by Ag_in_TX on Aug 10, 2025 10:35 AM CDT reply actions

On paper, A&M; should be much better than Texas. But for some reason, I have a feeling the Horns will win this year.

Re: OU, they’d have to suffer a rash of more injuries a la Lewis for Texas to win. Give it another year or 2 and I think Texas will turn the tide against Okie.

I also think the Mizzou game is a 50-50 proposition. Pinkel has fared poorly against Mack, but he did get the Stoops monkey off his back last year.

Re: Okie St, I don’t think Texas has the horses to run w/ the Orange Okies. So what if the game’s in Austin? It’s not like we provide an intimidating environment for opposing teams.

by Joetx on Aug 10, 2025 10:44 AM CDT reply actions

Last year’s Texas team that played Oklahoma was not the team that was humiliated by Iowa St. and Kansas St. There was STILL way too much talent on last year’s squad to lose 7 games and the OU game was an example of what they were capable of when they played hard. Or the Nebraska game for that matter, anyone remember that we beat them last year?

Aggy is a poor comparison to chart what our rebuilding should look like because Sherman started with a bare cupboard and Texas has landed top 10 classes the last several years. It shouldn’t take us any time at all to field a bowl-eligible team.

Joetx: Re: playing Okie Lite at home, it’s not so much what our fans offer as it is that their wild fans won’t be involved to pump up their squad and inspire them to stand up to Mason Walters on defense for 4 quarters.

by Nickel Rover on Aug 10, 2025 10:53 AM CDT reply actions

Nickel – If that Texas team wasn’t the same one that got humilated by ISU and KSU, which team was it that got humilated by UCLA the week before OU?

AiT – You’re not showing any HS games on that 12thManTV are you? :) I don’t doubt that you will have a good running game this year. And most likely good to above average D and passing game. Good top 20 team? Sure. Top 10 team that just needs to beat OU to play in the MNC? Tap the breaks on the dream wagon, please. — btw, not pointing at you for the hype, it is just a lot of what has been floated around the blogs, ESPN, and some radio.

by ut-06 on Aug 10, 2025 11:01 AM CDT reply actions

Texas A&M; – MNC contender. Accept it and like it. Whoop!

by Aggie Rick on Aug 10, 2025 11:08 AM CDT reply actions

I think that loss of Von Miller is being underestimated. Muschamp lost Orakpo, but had Kindle. Then when Kindle left, WM’s defense performed much differently.

Elementary analysis that admittedly negates several factors, but I contend that the overall theme applies for DeRuyter this year.

by Matt Cotcher on Aug 10, 2025 11:21 AM CDT reply actions

Yeah, most knowlegable Ags accept that we don’t really know much about this team until after the OSU and Arkansas games. If we handle those two teams soundly, I may start chugging the kool-aid pretty hard.

by Ag_in_TX on Aug 10, 2025 11:22 AM CDT reply actions

Big difference for the aggies last season was finding DeRuyter, and of course shelving their TO prone QB. I’m not a huge fan of Tannehill, but he’s a good game manager and that’s all they really need given their running game. DeRuyter performed a miracle getting that abortion of a unit up to being pretty decent. However, losing a once in a decade for them player in Miller is going to sting more than they think. I don’t see that team as a whole being substantially better than they were last season.

by Mad Clapper on Aug 10, 2025 11:29 AM CDT reply actions

Cotcher: I don’t think losing Kindle last year really hurt us that badly. Acho managed 9 sacks with teams throwing the ball half as much as they did in 2009. I would argue that the loss of Houston and Earl were each more damaging to the 2010 team, not because either was considerably better than Kindle but simply because we had nothing to replace them with.

All that to say, the aggies will have more pass-rushers than they did last year even if they don’t have the greatest in their history. Much like when Nebraska lost Suh, the overall system was still strong and the surrounding talent good.

Mad Clapper: I think people are selling this Aggy team short and I think the passing game is way better than people realize. They’re going to be real strong at tackle, they have several dangerous receivers including arguably the league’s best, and Tannehill played really solidly last year after splitting all the offseason reps with receiver drills.

I think their passing game sets up Cyrus Gray and Michael to pound teams that have to play them with a hand tied behind their back.

by Nickel Rover on Aug 10, 2025 1:51 PM CDT reply actions

ut-06: If you recall that UCLA game you might remember that we were in the game in the 1st half and had squandered some turnovers as well as handing UCLA the ball in some terrible spots.
If the offense could have held onto the ball or made anything of the turnovers I believe the defense holds out their effort longer.
Furthermore, do you or do you not think that Texas played better against OU or Nebraska than they did against UCLA? If you want to say that our effort and production was uneven early in the season I’m on board but there is no doubt that the team that finished with multiple home conference losses was worse than the one that fought OU and upset Nebraska.

by Nickel Rover on Aug 10, 2025 1:54 PM CDT reply actions

Nickel, we were also just as much or more in the game against A&M; at the end of the year, after the embarrassments. I think we were the same team all year long. A good to very good D for the most part (almost great?) that kept us in some games (and in the case of NU won a game) that we shouldn’t have been in. We had an offense that loved to hand the ball back to the oppnents. If GG doesn’t fumble the ball in the 1st qrtr on the ~10 against A&M;, we are looking at 10-0 or 14-0 instead of a Cyrus Gray highlight clip on ESPN and 7-7.

We gave A&M; the ball SIX times and they still left us in that game until the time ticked off the clock. To me that doesn’t point to A&M; being world beaters. The NU game in which they couldn’t score against a team that had given up at least 10 points to every BCS team but KU, and the LSU game a few weeks later solidified that for me.

I am somewhat hopeful for this year. As long as our D doesn’t take a big step back after losing Will (and our CBs), they should keep us in a lot of games just like last year. If we have any type of offense planning at all (wait, that’s not illegal to do?), we should be able stumble in to 8 wins this year with a some what weak conference. I would leave OU and OSU where you have them, but I’d probably move A&M; in to Mizzou’s 50-50 spot, and I’d move Mizzou somewhere above “potentially dangerous” but below where they are at.

by ut-06 on Aug 10, 2025 3:53 PM CDT reply actions

50-50 shot going in to Kyle Field.

With Garret Gilbert?

No running back?

No receivers?

Blake Gideon?

Yeah, it’s a virtual toss up that game is. You have a chance because it is a rivalry game and you’ll have a chance to play spoiler, just like last year. That’s it.

by tu-06 is a moron on Aug 10, 2025 4:13 PM CDT reply actions

ut-06- you guys did hang around in the game last year against us, but rivalry games have a tendency of being close regardless. We played y’all close and almost beat you both years that you recently went to the NC game. Last year, we played extremely poorly and still won on the road. Don’t use that sample game as an indicator of how we will play next year, as again, rivalry games tend to vary from the norm.

by Moose Aggie on Aug 10, 2025 4:16 PM CDT reply actions

Nate – I read that on the internet so I assumed it must be true about Ronnell.

Comments that Tannehill is a game manager of a Qb are way off the mark. He is anything but that. He’s very accurate and very athletic and should be a high draft pick next spring. Both sides of the ball are a lot further along than last year at this time due to familiarity with the system. No one is saying that we won’t miss Von, it’s just that we believe the 2nd year in the defensive system has everyone playing faster. The secondary is salty and has good backups/nickel & dime personnel. Weaknesses could be NT & ILB but we’ll see. I’ve seen a lot of comments that Texas fans think they’ll have their shit together by last November and win the game at Kyle. The various reasons given were the poor start to last season, close game at DKR last year and the 2011 Texas football resurgence. I don’t think there is any data out there to suggest this conclusion, and if you somehow reach this conclusion anyway you haven’t been paying attention or have been drinking a lot of Koolaid. Last year we had to play a very tough game against the Corn 5 days before going on the road. You played Fau or some directional Florida school. We had just gone through a pretty murderous month playing OU, BU & Corn. Schedule sets up much better this year for us.

by KilgoreTrout on Aug 10, 2025 4:49 PM CDT reply actions

So you have A&M; winning the Big 12 then? I think Tannehill is solid but unspectacular. I would take OU’s and OSU’s QBs over him from what I saw last season. Your front seven on defense is a joke, those terrible recruiting classes on defense aren’t going to magically disappear.

by Mad Clapper on Aug 10, 2025 6:50 PM CDT reply actions

Yes.

A&M; wins the Big XII in our final season.

Our front seven on defense will perform better against your hapless offense than your front seven will against our juggernaut. The recruiting rankings didn’t help you last year as we blasted Cyrus Gray for 220 on your asses.

We’ll run CyFy for another 200 this year and probably C-Mike for another 100. Don’t need Tannehill, but if we get bored, we’ll throw to Fuller to embarrass Gideon EVEN MORE THAN HE ALREADY HAS YOUR TEAM THE FIRST 3 YEARS OF HIS CAREER.

When you find a RB, QB and WRs I will worry. Whoever you trot out there at Kyle will wet their panties.

by Mad has the Clap on Aug 10, 2025 7:04 PM CDT reply actions

Mad Clap, sadly we play OU in Norman this year so I don’t have us winning B12-2(-1). You can read my A&M; preview in the link at the bottom of this article. That said, I think we’ll give them a game and who knows. Our front 7 are reasonably stout. Backup NG & ILB play are the biggest ? marks at this point. We have players and talent, just need it developed.

by Kilgore Trout on Aug 10, 2025 11:13 PM CDT reply actions

ut-06: I’m not sure how we were close against A&M; although we were playing for a bowl game and still gave up 200 rushing yards so it was hardly an impressive performance.

If you don’t think our team came apart and quit in parts through some of those later Big 12 losses or in games like UCLA I’m not sure what to tell you as neither of us have much in the way of evidence.

As far as this year’s conference winner, I think it could be determined by a tiebreaker. It’s hard for me to see OU running the table but that’s probably more likely than Texas A&M; doing so including a win at Norman.

To everyone that thinks the Big 12 is down this year, I don’t see it. Every team but Kansas and maybe Iowa St. should be bowl eligible. 3 teams have 1st round talent at receiver, lots of largely intact OL’s coming back, and some defensive talent out there as well.

by Nickel Rover on Aug 11, 2025 5:45 AM CDT reply actions

I’m somewhat blown away by the aggie arrogance on this thread besides Kilgore Trout, whose rational analysis I appreciate. Y’all sure get big after a good season.

“you’ll have a chance to play spoiler, just like last year.” Wait a second, what was Texas going to spoil last year? Going to the cotton bowl and losing? We’ll probably lose this year, but if we don’t I’m not buying the “it’s a rivalry game so anything could happen” blather. I think if you look up most rivalry games around the nation the team that usually wins is the better one. If A&M; is better by year’s end there’s a 99% chance they win. I’ll leave that 1% chance for the “throw the record books out the door!” rivalry argument.

by Burnt Orange Wookiee on Aug 11, 2025 9:20 AM CDT reply actions

I will say this — historically, A&M; has always played much better than their record would indicate against us. But in recent years that has been as a decided underdog. We should be the underdog this year. Maybe that will allow our players to actually get up for the game. In which case, anything could happen.

But I don’t really like our chances. And I think Tannehill is better than a game manager. He’s a good QB, Fuller is a stud, and both of the Aggie RBs are really good. We’ll see how their line looks — if they are solid then A&M; will score a lot of points. They may also give up a lot.

by Toadvine on Aug 11, 2025 9:27 AM CDT reply actions