On to UTEP
One of the many anecdotes surrounding Texas’ 2005 National Championship team has Vince Young scolding unfocused teammates during 2005 summer workouts, “Rose Bowl’s over y’all.” Young was referring to Texas’ victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl,the year prior to their victory over USC. If necessary, I hope somebody on the 2016 Longhorns will tell teammates, “Notre Dame’s over y’all.” As I’m writing this on Monday/Tuesday afternoon, the Longhorns’ celebration over the program’s biggest win since 2009 should be over. It’s time to get on with the rest of the season.
That being said, here are some observations of the Notre Dame game.
Shades of Earl Campbell
When I got home after midnight, I watched my recording of Tyrone Swoopes’ 10-yard run to the six-yard line, two plays prior to his winning six-yard touchdown run. It brought to mind Earl Campbell’s runs that featured tacklers bouncing off a fully-animated man seemingly made of stone. I couldn’t stop replaying that run over-and-over in regular time and in slow motion. It was nothing short of inhuman the way Swoopes absorbed what seemed like a vicious hit unfazed and kept on plowing towards the goal line. I might add the Notre Dame player that delivered that hit lay unconscious, or at the very least badly dazed, on the field turf for at least five minutes after the play.
In addition to all the wonderful things being said about Swoopes the person and teammate, he is an incredibly well-conditioned and strong athlete with great balance. What a far cry from the player who two years ago admitted to getting nervous in the Baylor game after taking a couple of hits.
D’Onta Foreman
Foreman is very good and potentially great. After one game, he’s the best player on offense and possibly the team. When he was out of the game I thought the offense missed a step and I couldn’t wait until he was back in. After the game, I didn’t think he had gotten the ball enough. It turned out he had 24 carries and I realized that’s about the right number. I wish he could carry it 40 though.
Offensive Line
Wow. What a difference a year and a new offensive coordinator and line coach make. I haven’t seen the scouting reports on the rest of Texas’s opponents but, against possibly the best defensive line they’ll face all season, Texas averaged 4.9 yards per carry (if you factor out the botched snaps which were counted as -26 yards in rushing). That’s the kind rushing performance Mack Brown yearned for and that Charlie Strong has finally achieved. Also, the offensive line didn’t give up a sack in 27 passing attempts. There was unsuspected depth displayed as well with nine offensive linemen seeing action. In case you’re wondering as—I was—who the heck is Alex Anderson, see his bio here.
One of my long-held tenets of life is, as the Longhorns’ offensive line goes, so goes the Longhorns.
Playbook
If everything I read during the month of August is correct, Texas beat Notre Dame using about 30% of their offensive playbook. So we got that going for us, which is nice.
Shane Buechele
There’s nothing about Mr. Buechele’s performance you haven’t already heard, read or witnessed but I want to offer one observation. I’ve heard many fans and commentators draw comparisons of Shane Buechele to the redshirt freshman Colt McCoy. It’s understandable that such comparisons are being made but Shane Buechele, as a true freshman, is far more advanced as a quarterback and passer than the young Colt was.
We’re Texas
Texas goes from 5-7 and unranked to #11 in one fell swoop. Pretty funny.
Now it’s on to UTEP and let’s win there. (Yes, I know the game is in Austin. I’m just saying).
Notre Dame Over/Under Results
Willie Earl didn’t stump many if any contestants in the opener. The average score was 7.7 correct answers. That’s not to diminish the performance of Mitch Lewis, Steve Holstead—in my Sig Ep world the older guys—and Helen Frink who tied for first with nine correct answers. Each of them went 1-1 in predicting winners in the tiebreaker. Helen broke the logjam and emerged victorious by predicting Texas would defeat Notre Dame by three points. Well done Helen!
Hook ‘Em,
W.E.
