https://www.hornsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Longhorns-Helmet.jpgLast year the Longhorns rebounded from a poor 2010 with a decent 2011, finishing up their season with a win in the Holiday bowl pushing their record to 8-5. In the 14 previous seasons under Mack Brown, there had only been a few seasons with less than 10 wins and having back to back seasons below that threshold will have added pressure on coaching staff to find a way to get back to the 10 win mark.
Manny Diaz and Brian Harsin both made their mark last season with their systems. Going into the 2nd year under those two, expect to see the Longhorns open up the playbook a little more and show some new looks. Plus there will be more experience around the roster to draw from this season, which will help the Longhorns when they get into tough games.
The offensive side of the ball has a little more experience this year than coming into last season, but overall it is still a very young unit. It could even be younger at key positions if certain players win starting roles. The quarterback will be a question going into the season, because both Case McCoy and David Ash are vying for the starting spot. Ash appears to be the front runner to win the starting position but don’t put it past the coaches to try and run a dual quarterback system early in the year.
The Running back position could be an exciting position to watch as it is loaded with returning players Malcom Brown, Joe Bergeron and Jeremy Hillis and throw incoming freshman Johnathan Gray in the mix and there will be a fight for carries this season. Expect the coaches to use Brown and Gray as a 1, 2 punch this season with the others filling in as needed.
Look for better play from the receivers this year as they are far more experienced and will have more experienced passers throwing the ball. Marquise Goodwin and Mike Davis will be the leaders on the field and look for them to set the tone each game with big catches. Don’t be surprised if Jaxon Shipley is used similarly as his brother in the slot position this year.
Along with the most veteran offensive line in 3 years, the Defense is the most experienced unit on the field this year. Look for the Defense to carry the Longhorns when it gets into Big XII play and expect to see this year’s Texas defense ranked as one of the best in the country.
As with any season on the 40 Acres, there are high expectations to win the Big XII and be in position to compete for a national championship. I won’t say that the Longhorns will do those items, but if everything falls into place, anything can happen. But for a realistic expectation, I would expect to see the Longhorns win 11 or 12 games and be in position for a BCS bowl.
