"When everybody talks about how bad Colorado is all week, it's really hard to go out there
and take them serious," Brown said.
Mack Brown was excited about the win.
We won. The Horns beat Colorado 38-14.
The Horns woe owe a huge debt of gratitude to the defense and special teams.
First came the boos. Then came the chants of "Beat OU!"
In between, No. 2 Texas turned a stagnant effort against Colorado into a 38-14 win Saturday night to stay undefeated going into their annual grudge match against No. 19 Oklahoma.
Earl Thomas returned an interception 92 yards for a touchdown and Ben Wells recovered a blocked punt for another score to help the Longhorns (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) pull away in the second half.
Jordan Shipley added a punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. He also caught a 39-yard touchdown pass in the first half and finished with 147 yards on 11 receptions.
The running game wasn't quite what we hoped for.
Davis aimed for Saturday's game against Colorado to show everybody, both inside and outside the locker room, that the Longhorns could pound the ball on the ground.
With that emphasis, it's safe to say the Longhorns found their weakness against the Buffaloes.
"I'm not very happy right now," Davis said after the game.
The Longhorns carried the ball 25 times for 46 yards against Colorado. They suffered more injuries to running backs than they received big plays from the running game; Tré Newton and Vondrell McGee left the game with injuries. Newton suffered a mild concussion.
Greg Davis is not a happy man.
"My mood is not very good," Davis said after the game. "I wasn’t very pleased with the running game. We’ve got to look at that."
What did we learn on Saturday?
If there's a pair of more dangerous returners in the nation than Jordan Shipley and D.J. Monroe, show us. Roddrick Muckelroy looks just fine at middle linebacker. And Earl Thomas is on his way to a big, big year.
Will the Horns stay focused?
In a word, no. The Longhorns were 311/2 point favorites to beat Colorado, yet trailed 14-10 at halftime.
And if Colt McCoy hadn't hit Jordan Shipley for that late first-half touchdown, who knows what would've happened in the second half?
ESPN's Tim Griffin thinks our margin of victory was deceiving.
From the Denver Post...
So glad we could help. The Buffs can feel good about themselves.
Finding something, at least, to feel good about itself, Colorado led the No. 2 college football team in the land for almost 2 1/2 quarters Saturday night.
But ultimately, mistakes proved costly for the Buffaloes in their 38-14 loss to mighty Texas before 101,152 relieved fans, who had to wonder for a spell if those dreams of a national championship might be shattered by a 33-point underdog.
It is has to be tough at home. Dan Hawkins had to bench his son.
Then the coach said of Hansen: "He's really a trouper. He has paid his dues. . . . He will start next week" against Kansas. Last year Hansen was put in against Kansas State, and the Buffs won 14-13. He started the following Saturday at Missouri, and the Buffs lost 58-0. Cody started three more games, Hansen one more.
Eric Kiesau, CU's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, said the Buffs will not be "wishy-washy" about the starting quarterback the rest of the season. "You can't go back and forth. . . . Tyler is our quarterback."
From The Daily Camera (Boulder)...
The first 40 plays were great for the Buffs, then...
For 40 plays in the first half, the Colorado defense was perfect. On the 41st and final, it was burned.
Close, but not good enough.
Clinging to a 14-3 lead with the clock creeping toward halftime, the Buffaloes made one mistake, allowing a 39-yard touchdown pass, swinging the game back in No. 2 Texas` favor in an eventual 38-14 Longhorn win. It was the lone blemish in a dominating defensive effort.
The Buffaloes kept Texas and its top-ranked scoring offense to one touchdown through three quarters, only to see the Longhorns score twice through special teams and on an interception return for a touchdown in the second half.
Dad had an idea what was coming. Buff coaches had talked to Tyler Hansen about his redshirt in the week preceding the Texas game.
Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau met with Hansen privately last week after a quarterback meeting. Hansen said Kiesau gave him the same look former offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich gave him last year before his made his debut against Kansas State.
"They came up to me last week and they gave me a couple days, actually, to decide," Hansen said. "I talked to my parents about it. I talked to my high school coaches about it, and it pretty much came down to, you know, I can get into an accident tomorrow and never have an opportunity to play again.
"So when you have an opportunity to play, especially at college, D-I level in this atmosphere, you take it."
0 recs | 39 comments
Greg Davis will take a look at the running game?
Hopefully he notices you can’t run at six guys with five blockers. Or that you aren’t fooling anybody when you put EBS in the game. Or that, no matter how bad a first half goes for our offense, we seem to score at the end of it when we hurry up and, this is key, abandon the run.
circa1015 - October 11, 2009
YES!
More hurry up offense por favor!
trueorangeblood - October 11, 2009
Yes...
that quote irked me as well. Every year since Cedric Benson/VInce Young left, our running game has been our weakest link, and every offseason they tell the media that this will be the primary point of development in the offseason, and then every year our running game still looks the same.
But now, Davis will “take a look at it.”
BrooklynHorn - October 11, 2009
I think I'm alone in thinking the GD playcalling was fine
If we’d actually been able to execute blocking on the Buffs, many more of our plays would have worked.
On nearly every running play the O-Line collapsed in on itself.
On our screen plays to Chiles, Kirk was getting knocked 2-3 yards back as he tried to block.
This was the worst blocking I’ve seen from the offense all year. The Buffs were blowing us up, and that shouldn’t happen. I can’t blame GD for that, unless it’s lack of preparation.
notsofst - October 11, 2009
Playcalling was terrible
Instead of taking advantage of mismatches, GD consistently called plays where we were either mismatched, outnumbered, or predictable. It would have taken extraordinary execution to turn the plays GD was calling into positive yards, much less big plays.
circa1015 - October 11, 2009
No.
Watch the game again and focus on our blockers. Our guys lost one vs one matchups against players they should manhandle, and it happened time after time. That has nothing to do with offensive scheme and everything to do with technique and drive, both of which the blockers yesterday seemed to be completely devoid of.
There were a few plays where the defense guess right and overloaded a gap, but on the whole the running game failed because our blockers couldn’t beat the single man right in front of him.
sessamoid - October 11, 2009
it would be nice if you could post some pictues...
i didnt see a whole lot of sorta-counters and center/ulatowski pulls we normally do..
hookemkp - October 11, 2009
That makes the play calling even worse...
The OL was getting beaten all night and yet GD kept putting them in a position to fail. I don’t mind that we tried to establish the run. Once it was abundantly clear that wasn’t working, however, the coaches should have made a change.
Texasrocks - October 12, 2009
Been wating for your post-game Buffalo pic
and not disappointed. Says it all. Gracias.
TXStampede - October 11, 2009
I had this one ready to go.
But considering the game outcome, only one dead buffalo seemed appropriate.
dimecoverage - October 11, 2009
Let's save this one for an away game at Colorado!
Sunkist - October 12, 2009
BS
For 5 games the team has been seeking to improve the running game, and all that time many if not most fans have been believing whatever spn Mack put on it.
If they could scheme an effective running game, they would have by now.
utexex - October 11, 2009
Just got back from game and four thoughts...........
1. Several of us were talking at the game about passes down field. I am not sure but was the only pass down field in the first half the last one for a TD to Jordan? Same in second half. The pass plays that killed OU last year – down the middle of the field are completely gone from the Texas game plan and we instead are left with either sideline passes to Chiles, short 3-5 yard passes to Buckner or a few passes to Jordan near the sideline. What about M. Williams passes down field?
2. Texas O-line has nothing on the OU O-line. All the talk about the great Texas O-line and how they could dominate the line of scrimmage?
3. Loved the fans in early 4th quarter screaming for the Texas defense to keep the Texas offense off the field.
4. Finally and the one I am really concerned about – our kicking game. The punting was atrocious – I think there was a 5 yard punt last night. Additionally, our kickoff’s – even with the wind could not get to the end zone and Colorado consistently started past the 30 yard line and many times near the 50. This will cost us against better competition with an actual offense that can move the ball.
texascfo - October 11, 2009
ou o-line?
I think they are better at pass blocking than the ou line. Texas will have a ton of pressure on Bradford the whole game Saturday.
Longhorns84 - October 11, 2009
Last year's RRS
I’m just going on my memory here, but weren’t we struggling in the first half of last year’s game? We didn’t start making plays or running well until late first half/early second half. That was when the game plan changed to the new WR sets. I am an optimist, and I bet there are things we haven’t even started to see yet that we will [hopefully] see on 10/17.
hoogs - October 11, 2009
Kirkendoll needs to be benched
He drops too many passes. Why isn’t M. Williams playing instead of him? I heard the reason is b/c he drops passes in practice, well Kirkendoll drops them in the game.
Longhorns84 - October 11, 2009
How many drops did he have?
I only saw one. And since Colt was 32 of 39….. And I have not seen too many drops in other games either, so …..basically…… huh?
SwimTexas - October 11, 2009
Drops
Kirk. has had at least one in every game with the possible exception of ULM. His drops against Wyo, TT and CU all killed the offense’s momentum early in those games. Williams has had some drops as well, but he has a much higher upside as a playmaker and is a MUCH, MUCH better blocker. Kirk getting more snaps than Williams at this point is just baffling.
Horncasting - October 11, 2009
More Williams rant
and WTF is with M. Williams losing his KR job next to Monroe? I love Shipley and think he is a fantastic return man, but IMO he is just too damn important to use on KR’s. Punt returns make sense with his hands, decision making and proven production. On KR Williams has done a great job at getting yards when he’s fielded the kick and especially blocking when Monroe has gotten the kick.
Horncasting - October 11, 2009
Kirkendoll absolutely refuses to block. He was personally responsible for killing three offensive drives. One with the awful dropped pass, two with the whiffed block on a WR screen to his side (for which he also got called for holding), and three on another critical pass play that went nowhere because he chose to stand around thinking he was a spectator rather than a blocker.
sessamoid - October 11, 2009
Anyone watching Denver Vs. New England right now?
I like how they are using their Wild Horse offense..putting QB on motion…something GD should look into
hookemkp - October 11, 2009
“Watch the game again and focus on our blockers. Our guys lost one vs one matchups against players they should manhandle, and it happened time after time. That has nothing to do with offensive scheme and everything to do with technique and drive, both of which the blockers yesterday seemed to be completely devoid of.
There were a few plays where the defense guess right and overloaded a gap, but on the whole the running game failed because our blockers couldn’t beat the single man right in front of him."
This was what I saw in Austin Saturday night and what I said about the O-line. Basically, the O-line was whipped by a vastly inferior Colorado D-line.
texascfo - October 11, 2009
Oops...
From above:
The Horns woe a huge debt of gratitude to the defense and special teams.
Should be owe a huge debt of gratitude…
Freudian slip?
dimecoverage - October 11, 2009
Freudian slip?
That’s where you say one thing and mean your mother.
Caradoc - October 11, 2009
My mother would like our o-line to get their s&%$ together.
dimecoverage - October 11, 2009
Shipley for Heisman? Hmmm
Shipley Love
patienthornsfan - October 12, 2009
Tim Griffin too
Griffin
patienthornsfan - October 12, 2009
If we go undefeated....
I don’t see how the Heisman won’t go to Colt. Not only does he have some prior gravitas from last year… but if we win out he will be the winningest QB of ALL TIME. Hard to overlook that!! This will happen right around the A&M game when voters are filling out their ballots.
Orangechipper - October 12, 2009
Hurry up run play...
Doesn’t work either when its the only run play we do out of the hurry up.
Orangechipper - October 12, 2009
One final rant on coaching from Saturday night
Why in the hell was Jordan Shipley on the field returning the last Colorado punt in the last few minutes of the game?
Are you kidding me? What if he returns the punt leading 38-14 and gets his knees blown out or another injury. That to me was stupid coaching.
texascfo - October 12, 2009
No it was smart coaching
Jordan was instructed to not run at all and fair catch it. When Jordan got back to the sidelines, he told Mack that he could have taken it all the way.
Mack wants to keep Jordan out there at the end to fair catch it because he has the best hands on the team. No chance of Monroe/Goodwin/Brown muffing the punt when they’re on the sidelines.
kriess - October 12, 2009
BTW
That info was from me listening to Mack’s post game interview with “whoever it was” on 610AM Houston Sports Radio. Not exactly quoted but paraphrased by me
kriess - October 12, 2009
Disagree
That is a very big problem when you have only one person that is trusted to catch punts. We need other players to start catching punts and get game time action – like when it is 38-14 in the 4th qtr because any player can get hurt on any play and he is a senior and we need other players to get reps.
texascfo - October 12, 2009
I wouldn’t have minded seeing Monroe out there for grins just to get some extra reps/game experience. It would be nice if he could fill that role next year. It is a great way to get the ball in the hands of one of our biggest play makers (as seen by putting Ship back there).
Anyone else think back to how happy they would have been to complain about a 38-14 win 5 or 6 years ago? So why do I keep reading posts like “I hope Mack retires at the end of this seasno…”
UT_BKC - October 12, 2009
Silliness on Mack Brown statements
I am ecstatic over the recent Texas success, especially after my time as a student many years ago when this was not the expectation. Think it is just the high expectation at Texas every year and especially this year with the O-line, Colt and Shipley coming back.
Mack restored the Texas program to greatness and these annual high expectations and will always be treasured by this Texas alum.
texascfo - October 12, 2009
I am loving the MB years too
I was at UT 87-92 – I remember when things sucked. It, well, sucked. The only thing that has sucked under MB is that we have missed a couple of shots at adding to the one MNC he already won for us.
But GD sucks.
Orangetower87 - October 12, 2009
Gilbert/Chris Simms
Did anyone pick up on that? When Gilbert came in to clean up the end of the game, the announcer said that Gilbert was more in the mold of Chris Simms that Colt. Hopefully he wasn’t referring to his big game composure. I’m not sure a comparison like that is really going to do him many favors with this fan base.
Hot Hands - October 12, 2009
Saying Gilbert wasn’t mobile made me wish I had watched the entire game in mute.
FAIL.
UT_BKC - October 12, 2009
His tall lanky stature makes him look like Simms
But thats about it as far as the comparison goes. At least thus far, hard to tell off mop-up duty.
Not having a Major to unseat will alone make the comparisons null and void, as probably the majority of the vitriol toward Simms stemmed from what his starting and playing meant for Major.
BoddickerIsClutch - October 12, 2009
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