Big 12 headlines, a preseason ranking and viewing guide

[HornSports Staff]

Each week Chris Flanagan will bring us the story lines & games that are most important to the Horns. In Week 1, Chris steps back and takes a league-wide overview - W2W4 in Week 1

 

[echeese]

Good stuff, hope this is a weekly feature. . .

My 2nd lunch bet of the year, TEXAS does not finish #5 in the BigXII

 

[Lukus Alderman]

It is going to be a weekly feature and I, too, agree that we will not end up #5.

 

[Juan]

Good ESPN piece from today

"Strong's defense-first recipe will test Big 12"   

Max Olsen AUG 26 11:00 AM ET
http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/88257/strongs-defense-first-recipe-will-test-big-12

What Texas players will be asked to do could resemble what Stanford, Alabama, Michigan State, LSU and even Big 12 foe Kansas State have come to master. Those programs are winning on old-school beliefs about running the ball, defense and power. 

Texas players say the offensive philosophy is build on a downhill run game. The tag team of a potentially elite inside runner (Malcolm Brown) and a true all-purpose back (Johnathan Gray) must win the day. Run the ball, run the clock, run the pace. And then quarterbackDavid Ash must capitalize when he sees a stacked box. 

"It's very multiple. You probably hear that about our offense a lot, but it's multiple," Ash said. "We're going to do every tempo you can out of a huddle and every tempo you can out of a no-huddle. We're going to try to keep teams off-balance." 

Joe Wickline coordinates the run game. Shawn Watson oversees the passing. They'll share the playcalling duties in some fashion, with Watson having final say. And recent history says this offense, for all of its fast-paced ideals, should fall in lockstep with Strong's defensive vision. 

Louisville's offense wasn't just No. 2 in time of possession nationally last year. The Cards had 17 scoring drives extend 5-plus minutes (second-most in FBS only to K-State) and 21 exceed 10-plus plays. This was, on average, a two-plays-per-minute offense, one of the comparatively slowest in the country, and it won 12 games. 

Watson's offense kept Strong's defense off the field. The Louisville D played 779 snaps in 2013. Texas' defense played the same number of games and finished at 966. The rest of the Big 12 averaged 937. 

When you're playing 200 fewer snaps on defense, you get fresh and physical players. You get to attack. And Strong has never been afraid to do that. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford recalls one game at Florida when Strong called six straight zero blitzes, rushing everyone who wasn't locked in one-on-one coverage. 

 

[Chris Flanagan]

Good stuff, hope this is a weekly feature. . .

My 2nd lunch bet of the year, TEXAS does not finish #5 in the BigXII

For Texas fans, they SHOULD feel that way. Preseason rankings are guesses for the most part. Educated guesses based off of past results and schedule outlook, but guesses nonetheless.

Preseason means nothing when the football kicks off at 7pm Saturday at DKR.

 

[Bear19]

Chris

Very good read.

If you're going to take cheese's bet then take mine. Texas is not going to finish fifth.