clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

We Wrote A 2013 Texas Football Season Preview

And it's coming out in early August.

By Scipio Tex

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE

UPDATE:

Buy it now on Amazon.

For Smashwords (where you can get all other formats)

Or just check you favorite retailer. If you want to read on your computer...you'll find some very specific directions on the link.

Currently #1 in American Football, #1 in Football Coaching, and #8 in All Sports on Amazon.

We meaning Scott (aka Longhorn Scott), Jason (aka nobis60), and yours truly (Paul, aka Scipio). We've just spent the last few weeks slavishly putting the final touches on what we hope will serve as the definitive 2013 Guide to Texas Longhorn Football.

We will be updating the status here frequently.

You may have a few questions:

What's it called?

2013 Longhorn Football Prospectus: Thinking Texas Football.

Why did you write this?

Frankly, we were frustrated by the offerings available to us and suspect that many Longhorn (and college football) fans are as well. With all due respect to national publishers, we realized that we knew more about Texas, the Big 12 - and in many cases - football in general, than they did. And might just string a sentence together better, too.

Local media vary widely in talent and are often reduced to formulae that fits neatly in a 800 word column. Unless they're in Bellmont disfavor, in which case they just write anti-Texas pot-stirring articles.

And then there are the previews where every route is crisp, every practice spirited and physical...

The internet has several fantastic Texas resources - public and pay - but they (Barking Carnival included) offer a different conduit and explanative level of distribution. I read daily news, but I still also read books. They're complementary resources.

So it's a preview?

A season companion. The book is written so that it will act as both a preview and a resource for the entire season. You will find yourself opening it and referencing it throughout the Fall. And in 2014. It'll be evergreen and as valid in late November as in early August. It also becomes "a living document" in combination with the blog.

When?

Available in early August. TBD. We'll let you know.

Why now?

We waited after the June/early July preview glut because it allowed us to incorporate significant off-season developments into our analysis (Connor Brewer and Cayleb Jones departure, medical redshirts, Desmond Harrison admittance, significant off-season intel) and we noticed that most preview guides, because of publishing schedules, are written immediately post-Spring.

A lot happened between April and August.

Where?

In your preferred e-reader. It will be an e-book. We're working out the distribution now, but certainly Amazon, at minimum. We'll update you very soon.

I want a hard cover book!

Understood. But if you own any computer, a Kindle, an e-reader, an iPad, or a mobile phone, it will be easily readable, referenced, and available to you in a beautiful format. If you must have a hard magazine, too, this one is pretty cool.

I want a hard cover book!

For $10,000, we'll come to your Longhorn game-watching party and act out the entire preview in Kabuki.

What's in it?

We dissect the Longhorns from every angle imaginable, offering realistic assessments of personnel, scheme, challenges, schedule, program foundation, and advantages. We also break down the league race, preview every Longhorn opponent, and help you understand the current direction of college football in unique and fresh ways. And yeah, we talk about the defense. And the new offense.

But we're a little different in our approach. For example, when writing about Texas personnel, we don't just talk about their abilities in some vacuum, we talk about fit to system, likely use, competing interests, implications for that unit, and what tradeoffs/advantages they offer.

Is it over my head? I just love watching games. I don't want homework.

The book is written for an intelligent football layperson. And it's entertaining. We won't insult you by writing down to the lowest common denominator nor will we try to impress you with technical babble. If we can't explain it, it's not worth mentioning. We want to give you tools that make watching Texas more enjoyable, conveyed in an approachable format.

Is the book pro-Longhorn?

Unapologetically so. It was written by three Texas graduates who love Texas with all of their hearts, but, like most Texas fans, are also cursed/blessed with analytical minds and a suspicion of groupthink. Which is what makes Texas fans slightly different from your average football school. Our primary objective is to convey balance, not snark. But we will try to make you chuckle.

If that sounds like you, buy it. It's a good gift for friends and family, too.

Cost?

$10.

Is it just prose?

No way. It's stocked with charts, tables, diagrams, film stills, and gorgeous action photos. Many of those photos are of Longhorn players, and not just intimate squirrel portraits.

How big is it?

Just right.

Will you cover the Big 12?

Yes. Every team has a capsule. As do our non-conference opponents. We offer a lot of useful information to help understand the league from a macro and team level perspective. We predict the conference race and explain our thought process. If you're a general Big 12 or college football fan, you'll find value.

I like Barking Carnival. I've been a reader since (insert date here)....

Thanks! We like you back. You know all of the thousands of informative articles you've read, laughs we've shared, and the camaraderie of community you've experienced?

Well...

What are you saying?

Do I have to spell it out?

Please.

Buy it. Buy several. Give 'em to your friends and family.

Oh, yeah, of course. I thought you were going to ask to borrow my car.

Can we?!

More From Barking Carnival