2011 Texas Preview: We Have The Technology. We Can Rebuild It. Make It Stronger

The last year the Texas Longhorns finished with a record below .500 was 1997. The 4-7 final season of Coach John Mackovic included embarrassing losses to Rice, Baylor, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State; as well as the infamous 66-3 thrashing at home against UCLA. For many this was the darkest time in their Texas fandom.

Mack Brown was hired the following season and led the rebirth of the Texas juggernaut. The 1998 season saw the Horns go 8-3, capped by a Cotton Bowl victory and the Heisman trophy winning season of Ricky Williams.

Many Texas fans would like a return to the form of that 1998 season, a year after 2010 saw the Horns go 5-7, including embarrassing losses to Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State; as well as a 34-12 home thrashing to UCLA.  Seeing the type of one year turnaround made possible by a fresh start and new coaching perspectives, and also not wanting to be canned himself, Mack Brown went into action.

Most of the assistants from last year’s staff are gone, replaced by the best collection of college assistant coaches money can buy, at least according to the university’s promotional literature. Many have proven results like new offensive coordinator/savant Bryan Harsin, brought in from Boise State. Offensive line coach Stacy Searels comes from Georgia and will try and rebuild a line that has been a weak spot for several seasons. The new defensive coordinator is Manny Diaz, who brings innovative blitz schemes and statistical minded gameplanning to the team from Mississippi State in the SEC.

Along with the injection of new coaching philosophies from the assistants, Mack was busy securing an infusion of talent which may go down as the most important recruiting class in his career at Texas. Bigger than the Chris Simms Corey Redding class, and gasp, maybe even bigger than the sainted Vince Young class. While it isn’t clear if there is a Vince Young in this year’s class (I’m gonna say no), 15 to 20 freshmen from this incoming class will play significant minutes, and many will start from day one.

This season’s Longhorn football team will be very young, but as 1998 showed, a rebuilding year certainly doesn’t have to be an unsuccessful one. Depending on how the kids come along and grasp the schemes of the new coordinators, Texas could be in good shape by the end of the season.

Offense

The first freshman to discuss is David Ash. The quarterback from Belton has impressed everybody in spring and fall camp. Many supporters and those close to the program want him installed as the starting quarterback. Garrett Gilbert will start on day one however, following a rough 2010 that saw him throw 17 interceptions with only 10 touchdown passes. If Gilbert falters, especially in early games against BYU and UCLA, expect Ash to take over. As it stands Ash will play in every game, getting a couple drives with the first team offense each game.

The running backs will benefit from a huge influx of talent, in the form of two 230 pound monsters named Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron. Brown was the top running back recruit in the nation, and possesses a blend of speed, power, vision and agility that is very rare. He has drawn comparisons to Cedric Benson and has done much to validate those comparisons, at least according to practice reports. Bergeron was less highly touted, but one has to wonder why. At 6’2 235 he’s been penciled in as a prototypical fullback, and he’ll play that alot. But Bergeron has other talents; great hands, quickness and a reputation as a fierce competitor has him labelled as the freshman I’m looking forward to seeing the most. Think of a Larry Centers/Stephen Davis hybrid and you have Bergeron. Cody Johnson returns, as do Fozzy Whitaker, DJ Monroe and DeSean Hales.

Malcolm Williams left the team, and Marquise Goodwin is taking the year off from football to concentrate on track. This leaves very little returning experience at wide receiver for the QB’s to target. Mike Davis returns though after a standout freshman campaign in which he caught 47 passes and had 2 100 yard games. True freshman Jaxon Shipley will start from day one, wearing number 8 like his brother did. He’s taller than his brother and maybe a shade faster. Freshman Miles Onyegbule has impressed everyone in fall camp and will see plenty of playing time. Darius White, a 5 star recruit from FW Dunbar in 2010, will be given an opportunity to step up as well. At tight end Blaine Irby returns after missing 2 years to injury, behind him is some depth, so the position has gone from weakness to strength.

The emergence of redshirt freshman Dominic Espinosa at the center position is IMO the biggest positive development of fall camp. Espinosa stepping up allows David Snow to slide over to left guard, where he will team with Mason Walters to give Texas a stout interior offensive line. Thomas Ashcraft is a good prospect that was expected to start until the emergence of Espinosa. He’ll add some depth. Tackle is a bit of a question mark. Tray Allen, former 5 star recruit in his fifth year in the program, will finally take over a starting spot, left tackle. How he performs could make offensive line coach Searels’ reputation. The right tackle will be another Trey. Hopkins, who started all along the line last year as a true freshman is seen as a future all conference player.

Bryan Harsin was renowned for his innovative schemes tailored to fit his personnel at Boise State, and expects to transition that success to Texas in 2011. If the Longhorns find the answer at quarterback, this could be a powerful offense once again.

Defense

Will Muschamp and his awesome stare are now roaming the sidelines at Florida. Manny Diaz was brought in from Mississippi State and was left plenty of talent to work with. The defensive backs are young, but few coaches in college football are as good at what they do as Duane Akina, secondary coach who has sent dozens of his lieges into the NFL.

It all starts up front on defense and Alex Okafor looks primed to have the kind of breakout year that Brian Orapko and Sergio Kindle once had in the burnt orange, sending each into the top round of the NFL Draft. Okafor is that type of pass rusher and will team with 2010 super recruit Jackson Jeffcoat to give the Horns a dynamic pair of options on the end. Reggie Wilson will be a key backup at end also. Kheeston Randall is an All American candidate at tackle, provided one of Calvin Howell, redshirt freshman Taylor Bible, or freshman Desmond Jackson step up at the other tackle spot. This front four expects to terrorize opposing QB’s and offensive coaches in 2011.

The linebackers are stout as well. Experienced and talented Keenan Robinson returns, alongside fellow senior Emmanuel Acho. Sophomore’s Jordan Hicks and DeMarco Cobbs will play a ton and make an impact. Cobbs has been compared to former Horn and Kansas City Chief Derrick Johnson for his speed and playmaking ability. True freshman Kendall Thomson and redshirt freshman Aaron Benson will also make a strong push for playing time this fall.

The question mark of the defense is the secondary. However the incoming freshman class has drawn rave reviews, suggesting maybe Texas may not be on the wrong side of the rebuilding curve for too long. True freshman Quandre Diggs, younger brother of former Longhorn and current San Diego Charger Quentin Jammer, will start at corner in the opener. He’s a tough, fast player that will be a Texas fan favorite. The other spot is manned by sophomores Adrian Phillips and Carrington Byndom. Freshmen Josh Turner and Sheroid Evans will compete for time as well. The talent is there at corner. They just need some seasoning. Blake Gideon is the salt. The four year starter at safety returns giving us a coach on the field out there. Kenny Vaccaro is a hard hitter that takes over the other safety position and is gunning for an NFL payday. Freshmen Mykelle Thompson and Leroy Scott will play alot and start at safety for Texas one day.

Outlook

It will be interesting to follow the Horns this fall. A high level of variance should be expected from such a young team, so things could really turn out as bad as last year or as good as 1998. A victory over Texas A&M on Thanksgiving will go a long way in making up for any slips the young Horns have as they establish a strong foundation to build on for next season.

Bold Prediction

The Longhorns win 9 games and enter 2012 ranked in the top 5.

Where to Read about Texas Longorns

Burnt Orange Nation has in depth analysis and stellar writing.

Barking Carnival written by several top notch bloggers.

ShaggyBevo bunch of assholes…

Kirk Bohls and Cedric Golden cover the Longhorns for the Austin American Statesman.