Story time

The difference between 7-6 and 6-7

It seems like yesterday, when Texas fans were enthusiastically prognosticating about the clean slate that was the season ahead of them. It was Charlie Strong’s first year, and while there were plenty of unknowns lurking, optimism was high.

Then David Ash was concussed. Again. Then Dominic Espinosa was lost for the season. Then Strong started dismissing players.

All of sudden it’s December, and Texas is 6-6. If we’re being honest with ourselves, not many of us predicted six losses.

Charlie Strong got what he wanted: six wins and a bowl berth. The Texas Bowl is a nice way for this senior class to end their careers, and the benefit of bowl practices cannot be overstated.

Nevertheless, danger is lurking. A loss to Arkansas in the bowl game means that Strong’s first year ends in a losing record at 6-7. Since John Mackovic took over in 1992, Texas has only had two losing seasons. Mackovic did it once in 1997 and Mack Brown did it once (2010).

Now, Charlie Strong faces the ugly opportunity in his first season at the helm. It may only be one game or a handful of percentage points, but it’s a vast chasm between 7-6 and 6-7.

A big part of the story of Strong’s tenure will be written in the Texas Bowl. The question is….what will be authored?

Longhorns versus The SEC

It was vogue to heap praise on the Southeastern Conference. Now it’s trendy to criticize it.

Blame the national media; Blame simple offensive football; Blame the conference manipulating their bowl scenarios…it all results in one thing: “SEC Bias”. Look no further than this site’s message board and you’ll find multiple discussions on the subject among the commented topics.

Enter the Texas Bowl, the Longhorns and the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Horns have an opportunity to help smother the conference’s dominance, or promote it. The choice is theirs.

Second-chance Seniors

Senior night did not go as scripted for Jaxon Shipley, Quandre Diggs and the rest of the Texas senior class. The TCU Horned Frogs wrote an alternate ending for that storybook.

Now, in Houston, the Seniors have a second opportunity to finish their careers on a high note. The senior class helped Charlie Strong lay a new foundation for the program this season, and the Texas Bowl can be a nice finishing touch on that foundation.