Big Mike's random thoughts on a Sunday night

The dog days of summer will be upon us soon but the good news is that football is right around the corner. The 2013 football season could be a decade defining moment for the entire state of University of Texas athletics. The resurgence of our friends in College Station along with the current three year dismal performance of the football team has led us all to take pause and realize everything Mack has built over the past 15 years is not only at stake, but could have ramifications for years to come if 2013 does not end with at least a Big 12 title & a BCS bowl. With that said a few thoughts….

2013 is a MAJOR DEAL:

Mack needs to trust Major to run the show on offense and give Applewhite full autonomy to call the plays as he see fits. Will this happen? We can’t know for sure but Mack is a smart guy and he knows his legacy is at stake.

Defense, Defense, Defense:

The 2012 version of the Texas defense was like waking up the next morning with the 250 pound chick who looked 125 at 3am. You started the night with higher expectations but realized it is what it is. The defense has the ability and experience to be good in 2013. The question still remains, will it?  The Big 12 is not like other conferences it is driven by dominating quarterback play and fast paced offenses. No defense will look great but it is imperative to be decent and win some battles. The expectation should be to hold teams under 30 points and if this occurs the Longhorns could very well have a special season.  If not another year of saying “what if” is also possible.

Let the leaders lead:

The problem: who are the leaders? We can looks at several factors that have led to the current state of the football team but one that cannot be overlooked is the lack of team leaders the past three years. Obviously it always is best if your QB is a vocal leader. Well we must understand that Ash is not that guy.  So who is it?  Maybe it’s a young Peter Jinkens, or the more experienced Quandre Diggs? One thing for sure is the next few months are vital for someone to step up and become the “one.” Possible names to watch are not only the two mentioned but also Mason Walters, Jordan Hicks and Dalton Santos. Regardless of who it is they need to emerge soon and lead not only vocally but also by holding everyone accountable to show up for summer workouts.

In closing, the 2013 season still remains an unknown commodity but at least as in the previous three years many of the unknowns left us with little expectations or hope for a successful season. However, this year with nineteen returning starters, the anticipation and expectations of Longhorn faithful has returned to levels we have all become accustomed to.  Let’s just hope the expectations become a reality and not just another nightmare that could last for decades.