In my annual tribute to Ben Barnes, I offer various and sundry thoughts and observation on life and the Longhorns on the eve of the Oklahoma State game.
Paper Cowboys
The won-loss record of Oklahoma State’s 2017 opponents is 16-17. If you leave TCU out of the equation—who they lost to 44-31—the record is 10-17. Oklahoma State has defeated, South Alabama, Tulsa, Pitt, Texas Tech, and Baylor. I’m not suggesting Oklahoma State is overrated. I’m just saying…
9-3 Anyone?
In Texas’ first six games of the season, they have an inexplicable loss to Maryland and losses to #9 Oklahoma and #11 USC, games that they led in the 4th quarter. Texas’ remaining six games include #4 TCU, #10 Oklahoma State, and #23 West Virginia. That’s a tough schedule, but if Texas almost beat USC and Oklahoma, I submit that it’s a reasonable expectation that they could beat Oklahoma State, TCU, and West Virginia, and the rest of their opponents left on the schedule to finish 9-3. As Doyle Lonnegan would say, “You follow?”
“The two things that really drew me to vinyl were the expense and the inconvenience.”
For some reason, my son Bob decided he wanted to own a turntable and begin collecting vinyl albums about a year or so ago. When he moved backed to Austin in June, I gave him my modest collection of about 75 albums. If those grooves could talk. But I digress. Over the last few months, Bob has reported to me the condition of various selections from my old collection. The Rolling Stones’ Hot Rocks and Michael Jackson’s Thriller were noticeably worn compared to others in the collection. Steely Dan’s Can’t Buy a Thrill and Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly were in excellent condition. 
Bob’s most surprising discovery in my collection was, Texas You’re Number One, a recreation of radio broadcasts of the 1969 Texas-Arkansas game and the Texas-Notre Dame 1970 Cotton Bowl game. The record was a birthday gift from my brothers Clayton and David in August 1970. Frank Glieber, Verne Lundquist, Wes Wise, and Terry Stembridge were the announcers for the recreations. The record included a recording of President Nixon’s presentation of a National Championship plaque to the Longhorns in the locker room after the Arkansas game. I played it a lot.
Texas’ Running Game
Inside Texas is reporting that Redshirt sophomore Kirk Johnson has been practicing with the first team this week and is expected to play against OSU. He is Johnny Johnson’s son and Collin Johnson’s brother. He looked pretty good in very brief appearances as a freshman in 2015. He was out all of 2016 with a knee injury. I’m not sure there is a running back in college football who could run behind the Texas line right now. Hope I’m wrong. Inside Texas is also reporting that Connor Williams will be back this season, perhaps as soon as next week. Hope they’re right.
Post Oklahoma Loss Success
Mack Brown’s Texas teams lost five straight to Oklahoma from 2000 to 2005. Brown was able to rally those teams to a 29-4 record after Oklahoma losses.
Still Feelin’ Good
I reported last week that I was feeling good to feel good again about the Longhorns. Honestly, I had a feeling they would beat Oklahoma. The way Texas ran the ball and defended the pass against Oklahoma, it would rational to be pessimistic about their chances against Oklahoma State and Mason Rudolph. Call me irrational, but I have the feeling that the Longhorns will beat Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Hook “Em,
W.E.
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