A Few Facts about the 'Horns 2014 Schedule & Ash

[Aaron Carrara]

Thought I'd throw a few interesting tidbits out about the schedule this year and where Ash stands historically at UT.

Schedule Facts

• Of the 12 teams the Longhorns will play in the regular season this year, 8 of these teams made a bowl game last season.
• These 8 teams all won at least 8 games last season (2013).
• All three of Texas' nonconference opponents (North Texas, BYU, UCLA) reached bowl games last season.
• Texas leaves the state to play only 3 times this season (09/27 at Kansas, 10/25 at Kansas State and 11/15 at Oklahoma State).
• The Horns are only one of two Big 12 schools that do NOT have an FCS team on the 2014 schedule.

Furthermore, David Ash will begin the season as the likely starter with 4,538 career passing yards at Texas - this is good for 8th place on the all-time Texas career passing yards list.  In Ash's last 15 games he has thrown for 3,601 yards.  If he stays healthy, he has a chance to close the gap on some of the more prolific passers in Texas history.

Career Passing Leaders at Texas by yards:

1.  Colt McCoy - 13,253

2.  Major Applewhite - 8,353

3.  James Brown - 7,638

4.  Peter Gardere - 7,396

5.  Chris Simms - 7,097

6.  Vince Young - 6,040

7.  Bret Stafford - 4,735

8.  David Ash - 4,538

9.  Shea Morenz - 3,774

10.  Case McCoy - 3,641

 

[Matt Cotcher]

This schedule is one of the least-talked-about-yet-most-important things this year. Very few gimmes for a first year coaching staff.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

It's a very difficult schedule. The BYU-UCLA-Kansas-Baylor-Oklahoma stretch of games are going to be the season for the Horns. It reminds me of the murderers row of games we went through in 2008 that ended with the Crabtree catch. Hopefully we won't have the same heartbreak.

 

[Sejjr]

It's a very difficult schedule. The BYU-UCLA-Kansas-Baylor-Oklahoma stretch of games are going to be the season for the Horns. It reminds me of the murderers row of games we went through in 2008 that ended with the Crabtree catch. Hopefully we won't have the same heartbreak.

I'll take the heartbreak if it means we play in the title game the following season.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

 Hopefully we won't have the same heartbreak.

I get what you're saying, but think Strong would take 3-1 over stretch right now. 

 

[primal defense]

Darrell Royal was 6-4-1 his first season and Mack Brown was 9-3. Before the purge I was hoping no more than three, now I'm not sure and not sure the purge is over.

Ash needs to learn to run out of bounds or slide, or they need to throw him in the pit until he learns.

 

[GBT]

The purge hurt depth, but IF we stay healthy we will be fine. The guys we lost don't hurt us talent-wise ( other than Bergeron...and he was a fumbler ). We have some young talent that will play better than those guys would have. The only area that might suffer is special teams where we will need to put some starters out there now, or possibly be weak. Ash will do fine until Heard takes over, and he will take over. I expect to see TS get moved to TE, if the walk-on from Blinn can play a lick. With or without the purge we probably go 9-3 at best.....maybe 8-4 if we stub our toe in a game we should win. 

 

[bcherry168]

Injuries will be the main enemy. We have a lot of good players, but not enough depth. If we have critical injuries it will be real tough.

Hope and pray our kids come through OK.

 

[echeese]

This schedule is one of the least-talked-about-yet-most-important things this year. Very few gimmes for a first year coaching staff.

?

I think playing 3 Top 10/15 teams in our 1st 6 games is one of the most talked about stories this year. . .

Our schedule is tough. . .many are over looking KSU late .. . 

But I agree there are no gimmies. . . .

We start 5-1. . .playoff possible

We start 4-2. . . Sugar Bowl vs SEC

We start 3-3 . . .will not shock me

Less than that. . . ugh. . . 

We are thin, have to avoid the injury bug . .

 

[Juan]

Darrell Royal was 6-4-1 his first season and Mack Brown was 9-3. Before the purge I was hoping no more than three, now I'm not sure and not sure the purge is over.

Yep.  If the name of the game this season is keeping Davis Ash healthy then the Purge II may prove to be a killer.

Losing 2 more off an already thin OL is going to put enormous pressure on Wickline and the players leftover.

This might be the story of the season.

 

[echeese]

They can go 5-7 this year, I am not going to care (much). . . .it isn't about 2014. . .it's about the next 5 years. . 

Perspective. . . 

Sticking with my 9-3/8-4 prediction.. . 

 

[streettopeschel]

i guess we'll see, but i don't see muderers' row there. we don't have a true road game against a team likely to be ranked (KSU is borderline imo). and if we're fretting over UNT and byu in austin (yes, i saw the byu game last year...different team/coaches), then it WILL be a long season.

re ash, here's hoping he passes VY and gets close to Simms. if he does, we might have something here.

And as others have said the purge will likely pay long term benefits but losing so many potential contributors at this timje of year has to leave a mark depth-wise. we're gonna need some luck.

 

[echeese]

i guess we'll see, but i don't see muderers' row there. 

Good point. . .

3 Top 10 teams in 6 games (7 weeks). . . piece of cake. . . . . .

I get you like to be contarian but let's not go RD on us. . . .

 

[streettopeschel]

Good point. . .

3 Top 10 teams in 6 games (7 weeks). . . piece of cake. . . . . .

I get you like to be contarian but let's not go RD on us. . . .

I'm a contrarian? pot meet kettle. Yes, we play 3 really good teams in our 12-game schedule. i'm sure that doesn't make us terribly unique amongst teams in power conferences.   one in austin, another in a de facto home game in arlington of obviously the RRS. the odds of texas winning all 3 aren't very good, but i think that's more about us than them.

 

[echeese]

I'm a contrarian? pot meet kettle. Yes, we play 3 really good teams in our 12-game schedule. i'm sure that doesn't make us terribly unique amongst teams in power conferences.   one in austin, another in a de facto home game in arlington of obviously the RRS. the odds of texas winning all 3 aren't very good, but i think that's more about us than them.

I am seldom contrarian simply for the sake of being contrarian. . .though I confess to being a smart azz at times which is not the same thing. . . I do deplore revisionist bullshit. . . . 

I'd wager less than 20% of the schools in CFB will play 3 top 10 teams this season .. . 

Further NONE of them play them in a 6 game period. . . .

So yes, I'd say our schedule is pretty unique. . . . 

 

[streettopeschel]

I am seldom contrarian simply for the sake of being contrarian. . .though I confess to being a smart azz at times which is not the same thing. . . I do deplore revisionist bullshit. . . . 

I'd wager less than 20% of the schools in CFB will play 3 top 10 teams this season .. . 

Further NONE of them play them in a 6 game period. . . .

So yes, I'd say our schedule is pretty unique. . . . 

different strokes. i see 9 very winnable games with hardly any real tests on the road. yes, KSU would likely be the one but okie lite is down and tech doesn't scare me this year.

 

[echeese]

different strokes. i see 9 very winnable games with hardly any real tests on the road. yes, KSU would likely be the one but okie lite is down and tech doesn't scare me this year.

TT is in Lubbock, weird shit happens there . . .and they will be better than last year. . .doesn't mean it's not winnable

Since I am predicting 8-9 wins, i see those 9 games as winnable. . .

Doesn't change the point I made, no one in the nation will face 3 Top 10 teams in a 6 game stretch . . .

KSU on the road. . .ALWAYS tough.