echeese
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- Nov 22, 2013
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View from the Cheap Seats-UTEPGood time for a tomato can. Besides the obvious improved offense and new QB, one big difference between this season and last, schedule shaping up a great deal better. Last season CFS and company faced what was one of the very toughest schedules in the country. Now make no mistake, Notre Dame is no slouch, a legit Top 10 team but coming off them to face a feisty UTEP team was just what the Doctor ordered on what was a great night for Longhorn football. Clear skies, 85 degrees or so with a cool breeze. Shane would become the 1st true freshman QB to open games 1 & 2 of a season, not sure what happened to Bobby Layne vs Randolph Field, but the outcome was reversed. Instead of getting our butts beat, we did some butt whopping of our own.
And given the numbers of mistakes we made, we needed a game we could afford a few mistakes and win going away. Always nice to open with a 3 and out and make no mistake, UTEP's QB is a pretty good. He would give us fits with his legs and threw very well, when he had time. Great field position for the 1st drive, very nice drive down to UTEP's 11, WR screen to Jacoby Warrick for the TOUCHDO. . . . .not so fast my friend. ... .UTEP punches the ball out at the 1, fumbled out of the endzone for a turnover.
Keep in mind the Cheap Seats has read no accounts of the game so not sure where Conner Williams and D'Onte Foreman were but both were missed. Chris Warren had a nice night but never seemed to shake loose for that "big run" he was noted for in the past. And without Williams, the OL struggled at times in pass protection, giving up 3 sacks and plenty of QB pressures. End of the night, our O was a poor 3 of 12 on 3rd down conversions. Make no mistake, they weren't playing Notre Dame so some of the emotion just wasn't there and as mentioned before, good time to line up a tomato can.
Hard to be critical of an offense that was working with half a healthy OL and which put up 416 yards, enjoyed great field position most of the night and put up 41 but we left points on the field. But the offense never really seemed to "get in sync" until well into the 3rd when UTEP was simply outmatched. Not pleased Shane ran 11 times, now some of those in response to pressure but he took some big shots. Having said that, Shane's ability to run off both the zone read and scrambling drove the UTEP D nuts. He was very effective. Most of the time he took the yardage that was there and then slid like his Dad coming into 2nd but one shot near our goal line left the cheap seats cringing with memories of Colt going down.
Voting Co-MVPs for the UTEP game, Shane Buechelle and Chris Warren with a yeoman like 20 carries and 95 yards. Unsung hero of the game, Jacoby Warrick with his biggest performance as a Horn 7 catches 73 yards and TD though he left a TD on the field. We also saw a great many true freshmen in the game late. Lil Jordan Humphrey and Collin Johnson logged their 1st college catches will Kyle Porter played both early and late. 8 carries for 35 yards and he showed where this O will really hurt teams in the 4th quarter when he ripped off a 21 yard run up the middle vs a better than expected UTEP D.
Flipping to the defense, thought they played an outstanding game and for the most part, had UTEP out talented and out schemed. UTEP's QB was no slouch both running and passing. The D's biggest problem came with untimely penalties digging UTEP out of holes including 2 on 3rd down. And while some will argue the penalties were tacky, they were also DUMB. Still, TEXAS held UTEP to 3-15 on 3rd down, 208 yards of total offense and only 1 score. The score was an excellent drive but even with that and the dumb mistakes, it was an excellent night.
And exciting many of our fans, we saw the debut of DeShon Elliott at free safety. Haines must be dinged as he did not play. Facing a team with a quality RB and a QB who can burn you with his feet, the D turned in a 135 yard night. Props to Vance Bedford and crew, they turned in a great night and assured a somewhat sputtering offense didn't give a dog a chance to bite us.
Defensive player of the game: Brecklyn Hager, despite his late hit on the UTEP QB to not only keep a drive alive but dig UTEP out of a deep hole, he played very well. Frankly a tough call as overall, the D played very well as mentioned before.
Unsung hero: Going with Malcom Roach at DE. He had a big tackle for loss but really earned this for dropping into zone coverage and laying a HUGE lick on a crossing WR underneath. Very athletic play for the big man stuffing a 3rd down attempt.
Now let's talk about the BIG STANDOUT of the game. SPECIAL TEAMS were FREAKING SPECIAL. Our punter continued to be the defenses best friend not giving up short fields to UTEP. 5 star DB Brandon Jones "introduced himself with authority" blocking a punt setting up a short field FG and coverage teams were constantly pinning UTEP deep on kickoffs.
Special teams player of the game: Going with our Aussie punter but the unsung hero was Kris Boyd for his work on coverage teams with a nod to Brandon Jones
Great night for football. . . .GREAT GREAT tailgating with MB-Horns, thanks again my friend. 2 game experience rants.
Rant #1Coming out of halftime, the BigXII title winning teams were introduced, Women's VBall, national runners up, Women's BBall, Men's and Women Track & Field as well as Swimming and Diving and the Men's Golf team, national Runner ups.
You would think our fans would be on their feet for the standing O. . . ..nope, too much to ask. Kids bust their hump making the university look good and you ingrates can't even get off your asses? Pathetic. Our row was up . ..where was everyone else.
Rant #2Saturday 10 Sept, flags are flaying at half past. NOT ONE FLACKING WORD about this being 9/11 weekend or the 15th Anniversary. Pathetic, poorly played TEXAS athletic department. . . . I fear pandering to the PC crowd but simply pathetic.
Ranking the conferenceIt was another embarrassing week for the conference. Now Okie Lite did get screwed by the refs but how in the wide wide world of sports was it that close with Central Michigan in the 1st place. TCU loses to the Pigs and Texas Tech gives up 8 TDs to a Sun Devil on just 15 touches. . . .ole' . .. .isn't that what matadors say? BigXII did nothing to impress this week. In fact it's possible that Notre Dame may finish the season the only ranked team we play... . .
#1 TEXAS, still has the signature conference win of the season. First road game for the young team.
#2 Rape U. . .oh sorry, I mean Baylor. At least our tomato can likely is going bowling and is a FBS team
#3 OU . . . Season on the line vs tOSU. Sure, they can still win the BigXII but at this point, big let down for a team many projected into the playoffs. Looking forward to Big Game Bob melting down.
#4 WVU Beat Youngstown State coached by Bo Pellini who cost his team a 15yard unsportsmanlike penalty. What a clown. Big game vs BYU this week
#5 TCU 1-1 and have not looked really good vs a pair of less than impressive opponents
#6 KSU Off this week, playing Stanford close might be the 2nd best BigXII game of the early season
#7 Okie Lite Yes, they got screwed by the zebras . . .no, game NEVER should have been that close
#8 Texas Tech Defense, we don't need no stinking defense. Gave up record setting performance
#9 ISU. . .Garbage but at least they lost to a ranked team
#10 Kansas .. . is it basketball season yet?
That's the week that was. And might have to change the title since we were on the 45, 22 rows up on the West side. . . ..pretty damn good seats, thank you my friend.
