Mack is Back?

Let’s pencil in a win for Texas against a cratering Texas Tech team on Thanksgiving night in Austin. Given that, if Texas beats Oklahoma State Saturday, I don’t see any way Mack Brown can be forced out of his job in 2014. He may decide to resign in a blaze of glory after winning a bowl game and finishing 10-3, but that’s the only scenario I can anticipate in which he’s not Texas’ head coach in 2014 if Texas beats Oklahoma State. There’s much at stake on Saturday, which should make for lots of fun.

Resume Enhancement
You can only play who’s on your schedule, but Texas’ current six-game winning streak comes against opponents with a cumulative 23-33 won-loss record. Oklahoma State presents the Horns with an opportunity to enhance their resume with a win over an 8-1 team with a #12 ranking. A victory for Texas in this game would go a long way towards showing that Mack Brown’s rebuilding is near completion.

Moxie
I don’t know about you, but I think it’s a bit premature to be assigning moxie to Case McCoy and Texas because they have figured out ways to beat Iowa State and West Virginia. Also, the players are bragging about their great team chemistry, yada yada yada, and Case McCoy seemed to be boasting a little when he said of his touchdown pass in overtime against West Virginia that he could have thrown it to two or three guys because they didn’t cover anybody. Hey Case, you ever heard of the expression, “act like you’ve been there before?”  I’m probably over-analyzing but I get the feeling that the Horns think they’ve accomplished more than they have

Keys to Victory
It’s hard to go wrong if you run the ball effectively, don’t make turnovers, and stop your opponent from running effectively and force them to turn the ball over. Texas has been doing these things over the last six games. An important part of the game that Texas has not been handling effectively is kick returns. They’re giving up good field position with poor kick-off coverage, and they aren’t returning kick-offs effectively.  Oklahoma State has returned one kick-off for a touchdown, they have two touchdowns on punt returns, and their kick coverage has been very good. If Oklahoma State ends up with a big edge in the return game on Saturday, it could be the deciding factor in the game.

Mack’s involvement in play calling
Mack Brown has been accused of tightening up and playing too conservatively on offense in big games. It will be interesting to see how Brown and the Major call this game if it’s close in the fourth quarter, especially with Case McCoy playing quarterback. Also, with Jonathan Gray out, will Brown and Applewhite get the ball more than six or seven times to Daje Johnson in the running game?

My Gut
My gut is actually smaller than it was when I was in college….Okay never mind.  Oklahoma State is the favorite in this game and much has been made of the fact that they have won the last two games they’ve played in Austin. But this Oklahoma State team doesn’t have players like Dez Bryant, Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden and their resume isn’t any more impressive than Texas’. Their biggest win was against Texas Tech compared to Texas’ big win over Oklahoma. Also, I’m not all that impressed with Mike “I’m a man, I’m 40,” Gundy. I don’t think Oklahoma State is up to pulling of the big road win in Austin this year. Call it Texas 27-20.

HooK eM,

W.E.

Over/Under Contest

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