Fear of Failure
The inability to stop the run, poor tackling and breakdowns in kick-off coverage were major contributors to Texas’ loss to West Virginia. Still, despite all that, Texas would have won the game if not for conservative, half-hearted play calling on two critical possessions in the second half.
Texas drove nicely down the field on their first possession of the second half burning 7:30 off the clock perfectly executing a game of keep away from West Virginia’s offense. But Texas ended up with only three points. On first down from WVU’s 17 Bergeron rushed for 2 yards. On second down Bergeron lost 3 yards. On third and 11 from the WVU 18, Ash threw a screen pass that lost 3 more yards. Why not throw the ball far enough down field for the first down if not a touchdown when you’re inside the 20? It looks like Brown and Harsin are still afraid that Ash will make a mistake throwing down field.
Same deal on Texas’ critical possession after the defense recovered a Geno Smith fumble on West Virginia’s 12 yard line late in the game. After two Bergeron runs netted only four yards, Ash on third down almost let the play clock expire before Espinoza snapped the ball to a surprised Ash who couldn’t handle the snap resulting in a 16 yard loss. So with a first down on West Virginia’s 12 Texas didn’t once throw the ball into the end zone. There’s an old saying that is apropos after two possessions in the red zone that netted a total of three points. I will paraphrase it here: no intestinal fortitude no blue chips.
Texas’ running game is a work in progress. It’s not the dominant power rushing attack that Mack Brown has yearned for since the loss to Alabama in the Rose Bowl. The strength of the offense is in the passing game with three deep threat receivers and a young strong armed quarterback who has done enough to earn the confidence of Mack Brown. The Texas defense is a lost cause. For Texas to win 10 or 11 games in the regular season the offense is going to have to score a lot of points. From here on out Brown and Harsin have to be willing to take risks with Ash and the passing game and they can’t forget to put the ball in D.J. Monroe’s hands at least half a dozen times a game. He didn’t touch the ball once against West Virginia. That’s ridiculous.
We’ve seen Mack Brown take too conservative an approach in the past particularly in Oklahoma games. He can’t back Texas into a great season this year.
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A word from the chairman.
Over/Under Results
It was a crazy game of Over/Under as nine of ten correct answers were under and we had to go to the tiebreaker to determine the winner. I could have used a mathematician or an economist or something to sort out that tiebreaker so I’m not sure the methodology I used to determine the winner was sound.
David Frink and legendary gamer and first time player Mark Adams tied with seven correct answers. They both went 1-1 on their tiebreaker picks. Both were lousy with their score predictions even on the games where they picked the winner. So I selected the winner based on the most accurate point differential prediction total of both games. Clear as mud right?
Anyway without further adieu Mark Adams in his very first game wins this week in a photo finish. David Frink, after years of struggle, has emerged as the leading money winner season to date.
Beat OU.
HooK eM,
W.E.
Comments? Rants?
