Some of the better recent Texas videos are below…

A video breakdown of Colt McCoy’s day versus Kansas:

Rivals Minute’s Ashley Russell discusses Will Muschamp:

Watch the video:

Dogus Balbay could soon be the team's starting PG

One of the major strengths for Texas this year will be their bench. The amount of depth the Longhorns possess, especially in the front court, allows Rick Barnes’ team to play the up tempo, physical style that he feels they need to play with in order to be successful. Here is a look at the main bench contributors headed into the season.

Guards

Texas will rely heavily on the trio of AJ Abrams, Justin Mason, and even Damion James in the back court. The main contributor off the bench will be Turkey product Dogus Balbay. The other guys will have to show some major qualities to earn playing time later in the season.

Dogus Balbay - The speedy Turk missed all of last season with an injury before getting to play this summer for his home country’s under 20 squad. Balbay likes to penetrate from the point. His jump shot is not where it needs to be yet. Teams will look to play underneath Balbay until he proves he can knock down the mid range jumper. Balbay plays with intensity and isn’t afraid to mix it up on the defensive end. With Texas lacking a true point in A.J. Abrams and Justin Mason don’t be surprised for Balbay to start receiving more and more minutes.

Varez Ward - Not much was expected of Ward coming into the fall as the freshman came in under the national radar. Since practice has begun however Barnes has grown to love Ward’s ferociousness on the defensive end. Barnes likens him to a young Justin Mason, and in Barnes’ book that is a major compliment. Ward is not polished on the offensive end, but he can come in and help on the boards and in defense. He has a decent jumper and an above average first step. Ward could be the surprise player of the year.

Harrison Smith - Smith is now a junior and it’d be hard to think he is going to receive any more than clean up duty. Smith has shown some ability, but has not been consistent enough on defense for Barnes to rely on him. Maybe early in the season Smith can make an impact and force Barnes to play him. Without that or an injury Smith’s chances will likely be limited.

Forwards/Centers

This is where Texas’ depth will be an advantage. While the back court will remain the same for much of the game, Barnes will look to wear out opposing big men by sending waves of player’s their way. Connor Atchley will get the majority of minutes at center, so look for most substitutions to come at the four position.

Gary Johnson - Johnson will be the team’s six man, and will most likely earn the most minutes at the position even if he isn’t technically the starter. He gives Texas toughness on the inside. The Longhorn staff is hoping for a come out year from Johnson in the likeness of Damion James’ sophomore season. There is no doubt Johnson can play defense and rebound, but his ability to score is what could make him key for this team. Texas is going to need to get points from Johnson off the bench, and his ability to consistently produce will be a major factor this season.

Alexis Wangmene - The sophomore from Cameroon had a tough off season. He suffered a major family tragedy and has had a hard time, understandably, refocusing completely on basketball. Having Matt Hill back will help UT as Wangmene gets back on track. He has unbelievable upside, and hopefully will get his mental state back in order to show it off.

Matt Hill - Everybody’s favorite afro is back after missing last year’s season with an injury. The hair might not be the same, but his play should be. Hill did very well when he was healthy enough to play. He possesses some good low post moves, and his length makes him a playmaker on the defense side of the board. He hustles very hard, but needs to improve his rebounding skills. A lot of times a year off’s exactly what a player needs, and it is certain that Hill is eager to get back out there and play basketball.

Dexter Pittman - I’m going to admit off the bat that I’m a huge fan of Pittman’s. He has come into the program and busted his tail to get his weight under control enough to get on the floor. Pittman is never going to be thin, but he has gotten in better shape each year and is posed to be the number one guy at center off the bench. Pittman’s goal is to be able to play over 20 minutes a game. His ability to do that without getting into foul trouble would allow Texas to play Mason at point, Abrams at two, James at three, slide Atchley to four, and play Pittman in the middle. Texas has been killed late in tournament by not being able to match up with the length of teams like Syracuse in the Final Four, and Memphis last year. Pittman gives them a chance to do that as long as he plays smart and stays in shape.

The University of Texas has struck an agreement with Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp that will keep him in Austin and eventually lead him to the head coaching position for the Longhorns, Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said on Tuesday. Details of the contract are still being finalized but it will start with Muschamp’s salary being raised to $900,000 on January 1, 2009.

“This is a plan that has been enthusiastically agreed to by Mack Brown, President Powers and the Board of Regents,” Dodds said. “With the landscape in college football and all of the changes around the country, I’ve been looking at this for the last couple of years. When it’s not working, you have to go outside and make changes. Things are going well here, it’s working, so it’s best to be prepared to build from inside and that’s what we’re doing.

“Mack has provided outstanding leadership and continues to elevate our football program to a level as high as anyone in the country. We hope he stays a long time and he will be our coach as long as he wants, but this assures us that when the time comes, we have the right guy to step up into that position and continue to build on the great things we’re accomplishing.”

Muschamp joined the Longhorns this season after highly successful stints at Auburn, LSU and in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. As defensive coordinator, he helped LSU claim a National Championship in 2004. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award (nation’s top assistant coach) in 2007.

“This is first and foremost about keeping Will at Texas,” Brown said. “He’s had several opportunities to interview for head coaching jobs, but we wanted him to stay here. I’m going to continue coaching as I’m enjoying it. I have eight years left on my contract, I am not thinking at all about moving on, it’s simply that I think Will is a great young coach, a perfect fit for this place and he wants to stay. Nothing will change in our structure. He will continue in his role as defensive coordinator and when the time comes, will be ready to step in and take over the program.

“Everything we’ve talked about since we’ve been here, the premise of our program, has been about family. This is about family. When at some point I do step away, the fans can be assured the program can continue like it is. It will not miss a beat because the family will continue. Will believes in all the same principles we believe in. This assures recruits, our coaches and our players that Texas football will just keep on rolling.”

Muschamp’s Longhorn defense is leading the Big 12 in rushing defense (82.5 ypg/25th NCAA) and scoring defense (19.5 ppg/25th NCAA). UT ranks second nationally with four sacks per game. The Horns have held all of their Big 12 opponents below their season scoring average and limited six foes to 14 points or less.

“I was really excited when they presented the opportunity to me,” Muschamp said. “I’m not in any hurry to be a head coach and hope Coach Brown’s around for many more years. I’m just glad I’m going to be able to stay at Texas. This is the top program in the country, my family loves it here and there’s no better person to watch and learn from about running a football program than Coach Brown.

“President Powers, DeLoss Dodds, the administration and the leadership at Texas are outstanding. Coach Brown and a great support staff are in place. I’ve really enjoyed the kids in our program and everyone I’ve been around here. Texas has all the resources, facilities and a great recruiting base. It is the elite program in the country. No disrespect to any of the other places I’ve worked, but this is a really special place.”

A native of Rome, Ga., and 1994 graduate of Georgia, he was four-year lettermen at safety for the Bulldogs (1991-94). He was selected as defensive co-captain as a senior and was a part of two bowl teams. He also earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1993.

“When I first came here in January and my wife, Carol, and boys, Jackson and Whit, stayed back in Auburn, I got such a great feel for the community and people. When Carol and the kids moved here in May, they fell in love with Austin. If I would have left, I would have left on my own because she was staying here. She really loves the community and the people, and our kids love their schools. It’s just a special place and somewhere I want to be for a long time.

“I really appreciate the confidence that President Powers, DeLoss Dodds, the Board of Regents and Coach Brown have in me. I hope Coach Brown is here for a long time and look forward to continuing to coach our defense, learning from him and eventually carrying on the outstanding Texas tradition.”

AJ Abrams will need to more than score this year.

Texas enters the upcoming basketball season ranked in the top ten and poised to make another successful tournament run. Rick Barnes wants his team to be tough and physical, winning games on the defensive end. This team may represent that more than any team he has had in Austin. The Longhorns come into the season with nine out of their ten man rotation from last year. The team only lost one player, but it might have been the worst possible one to lose. Point guard DJ Augustin now plays in the NBA and Texas will spend the early part of the year figuring out who will control the ball. AJ Abrams wants to play more point, but the team plays better when he plays off the ball and Justin Mason runs the point. The addition of Turkish slasher Dogus Balbay may provide the answer when it is all said and done.

Here is a breakdown of what to expect from the starters. We’ll look at the bench players in an upcoming feature.

Point Guard

AJ Abrams - Abrams has already become the most prolific three point shooter in school history. In the off season the former McNeil star tested the NBA waters and what he found was that his only chance to make a living in the league is to become a point guard. Abrams is too small to play the two in the NBA, but he fits perfectly into the role at the college level. After thinking about making the jump, Abrams decided to return for his senior year. Rick Barnes has allowed AJ to play more point in the off season, but it is a position that AJ failed to play well at even in high school. It is likely that Texas will rely on a point guard by committee until someone steps up in the role. Expect Abrams to play the point more early in the season than he will as it gets into February and March because Texas will need him to do what is best for this team and not what will give him the best chance to get drafted.

Shooting Guard

Justin Mason - Mason is the classic Rick Barnes guy. He is more junk yard dog than basketball player. Mason is by far Texas’ best perimeter and may end up being the guy that handles the majority of the point guard duty. He isn’t going to “wow” anybody with his ball skills, but he is a solid player that plays his hardest on every possession he is on the court. Mason fits perfectly into the style of play this team is going to have to adopt to be successful. Texas is going to have to dominate on the defensive end, rebound, and fight for points on offense. There is no doubt that the talent level at the lead guard position will take a hit with the loss of Augustin, but the steady play of Mason should provide the Longhorns enough ability to make a serious run at the Big 12 championship. Mason’s stat line isn’t going to blow anybody away, but he does so many things well he is going to be invaluable for this year’s team.

Small Forward

Damion James - James made the transition from inside player to wing player last year and it could end up being the best thing that has happened to this team heading into this season. His freshman year was spent collecting rebounds and scoring put backs as Kevin Durant dominated the ball. When Durant left, UT needed a big player on the wing. James made the transition with ease. He ended up being one of the only players in the country to average a double-double and enters the season on most people’s All-American watch list. James could up being the most important player on the roster. His play will be a huge determinate of where this team ends up. If he can continue to be a force on defense and the boards while keeping his three point percentage up Texas will be a nightmare match up for most teams. James has struggled creating offense off the dribble, but summer reports had him working tirelessly with Kevin Durant on just that, and if he puts it all together he will likely be a lottery pick in next year’s NBA draft.

Power Forward

Clint Chapman - Heading into the season most thought Gary Johnson would start at the four. Against Stetson Chapman got the start. Chapman isn’t a better player than Johnson so the thought must be that Chapman compliments the starters better and Barnes wants Johnson to be his sixth man off the bench. Chapman is going to give you hustle, rebounding, and the occasional bucket around the basket. Barnes is not going to draw up many plays for the sophomore from Oregon, but he does have the skills to score if given an opportunity. The Longhorns need length in the front court and Chapman may give them more of that than Johnson. I wouldn’t think he’d stay in the starting lineup for the whole season as Barnes may look to change who starts at the four depending on practice and game performance on a week by week basis. Texas has a lot of options at the position with Chapman, Johnson, and Alexis Wangmene.

Center

Connor Atchley - Atchley was the biggest surprise on last year’s team. He provides match up nightmares because of his ability to step out and nail the outside jumper. Atchley also proved he could provide defensive help by leading the team in block shots. He isn’t the most physical player, but the roster has plenty of those. Atchley just needs to continue to do what he does best. He stretches the defense and has even worked on a sky hook. Barnes may trust Atchley more than any other player on the roster and with the loss of Augustin will look to the senior for on court leadership. Especially in the front court where there are talented, but young and inexperienced players behind him. Atchley is best suited to play at the four, and we may see a little of that if he is paired with Dexter Pittman in the front court. Texas’ most dangerous lineup would be Abrams and Mason in the back court with James, Atchley, and Pittman playing in the middle.

Sergio Kindle made like Superman against KU

Texas’ defense stepped up big posting a shutout in the first half and only seven points in the whole game. Colt McCoy played another good game keeping the teams championship hopes as well as his Heisman hopes alive. Texas did what they had to do, but it may not be enough as they do not control their own destiny to either the conference or national title game.

1. Sergio Kindle – It just makes sense to have a defensive player at the top of the big board. When the game was in doubt the defense was suffocating. On three straight drives in the first half Kansas turned the ball over twice on downs and fumbled. The reason for the success was the pressure on quarterback Todd Reesing. Sergio Kindle led the way off the edge with Brian Orakpo limited in what he could do. Kindle managed a sack and a half but put pressure on Kansas all game.
2. Colt McCoy – McCoy just continues to perform at a level that none could have predicted. Most onlookers have probably waited for the Heisman candidate to come back to earth, but McCoy has done no such thing. He played good in the passing game, especially considering the conditions, and provided yards on the ground when the running backs struggled to do so. McCoy has been invaluable to this team. He controls everything the Longhorn offense does. He finished 24 of 34 for 255 yards and two touchdowns. McCoy added 83 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
3. Quan Cosby – For all of the pub that McCoy and Jordan Shipley get for being roommates and child hood friends, it is Cosby that makes the Longhorn passing offense go. When Cosby went down in the Tech game it was obvious that the passing game struggled to find a new identity. Cosby puts Texas in consistent second and third and shorts and is the guy that stretches the field. He scored a touchdown in the second half while grabbing six balls for 70 yards.
4. Roy Miller – The senior defensive tackle is going to be the hardest Longhorn to replace next year. Miller has become a monster in the middle with the ability to play the run and the pass. He has become a leader on the team, and seemingly shows up with his “A” game every week. He recorded a half sack early in the game and made it impossible for Kansas to get anything going in the run game. The Texas defense has survived with Brian Orakpo so far, I’m not sure it would without Miller right now.
5. Henry Melton – Too bad Melton is a senior because he is a year or so away from becoming a dominant defensive end. His athleticism, especially his footwork, allows him to make plays despite being behind in his technique at the position. The former running back gets better every time he steps on the field as he has finally seemed to embrace being a defensive player. He finished with three tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss in the win.
6. David Snow – It is hard to measure the play of the individual offensive lineman without knowing their assignments. But when a true freshman that has been splitting his time between two different positions steps in to play center on three days notice and you barely think about it the whole game somebody is playing well. Snow had one bad snap, on a short yardage play. It was hard to tell if it was a bad snap, a miscommunication, or if McCoy simply dropped it. With Chris Hall coming back next year it is hard to see where Snow will fit in to the starting lineup. But one thing is for sure, he will get snaps somewhere.
7. Eddie Jones – The best thing that can come out of an injury to a key player is the emergence of the next star. It may be premature to call Jones a star, but the talent is there and a performance like his against Kansas can give everyone some hope moving forward. The former five star recruit showed his athleticism on a pitch play in the first half. He tracked down the running back in space and forced a fourth down play. His stat sheet doesn’t wow you, only two tackles, one being for a loss, and one quarterback hit. But with Melton and Orakpo being gone next year, it was nice to see Jones make an impact.
8. Christian Scott – It took one play for Scott to make an impact from his safety position. On the snap after Kansas running back Angus Quigley knocked starter Blake Gideon out of the game Scott came in and violently sent a message back. For the rest of the game Scott was all over the field. Will Muschamp has said Scott possesses the most physical upside of any of the young safeties. Scott is going to have to be more than just a Saturday performer to get consistent snaps however. Muschamp wants hard work in the film room and on the practice field, and if Scott can put that work in Gideon and Earl Thomas may have some competition in the secondary.
9. Blake Gideon – Before the injury in the third quarter Gideon was playing one of his best games all season. He was making plays in the secondary as well as putting pressure on the quarterback in key situations. The true freshman is just a solid football player that puts his nose in any and everything he can. He flies around the field and always appears to be in the right place at the right time. Gideon appeared to suffer a concussion, so it will be interesting to see how cautious the staff is moving forward.
10. Foswhitt Whittaker – The Texas game struggled on the day, but Whittaker found a way to contribute in the passing game. In the first half he recorded all his receptions, a total of five for 42 yards. Whittaker is the one back on the roster that can put a defense on their heels and it was important for the red-shirt freshman to show he can block and catch out of the backfield. The staff needs to find better ways to get him the ball on handoffs, but the fact he was able to play as much as he did is a good sign for the Longhorn offense.
11. Roddrick Muckelroy – Muckelroy has been Texas’ most consistent linebacker all year long. He leads the team in tackles on the season and finished tied for second on the team against Kansas with six tackles. Kansas’ offense puts more pressure on the corners than the linebackers, but Muckelroy consistently showed up on plays. He swarms to the ball and provides support in both the run game and the middle passing game. The junior’s value, opposed to say a Jared Norton, is that he can play on every down in distance. He is no longer a liability in the passing game.

BCS Bowls

Orange: Maryland (ACC champ) vs. Cincinnati (Big East champ)
Rose: Penn State (Big Ten champ) vs. USC (Pac-10 champ)
Sugar: Alabama (BCS at-large) vs. Utah (BCS at-large)
Fiesta: Texas (BCS at-large) vs. Ohio State (BCS at-large)
BCS Championship: Texas Tech (BCS No. 1) vs. Florida (BCS No. 2)

Big 12 non-BCS Bowls

Alamo: Missouri (Big 12 No. 4) vs. Northwestern (Big Ten No. 4)
Holiday: Oregon State (Pac-10 No. 2) vs. Oklahoma State (Big 12 No. 3)
Toilet: Michigan (Big 10 No. 9) vs. Texas A&M (Big 12 No. 11)
Sun: Arizona (Pac-10 No. 3) vs. Nebraska (Big 12 No. 5)
Insight: Minnesota (Big Ten No. 6) vs. Kansas (Big 12 No. 6)
Cotton: Oklahoma (Big 12 No. 2) vs. LSU (SEC)

Texas vs. Kansas tweets

• RT @suzhalliburton: Just saw Blake Gideon. Am told he’s fine. I was standing with Quan Cosby and Gideon waved at the WR. #UT postgame
• A couple of good Jeremy Hills runs and then a kneel down ends the game. Final score: #UT 35, KU 7 late fourth quarter
• And the defense holds despite the extra and goal snaps for KU. Sack and fumble recovery by #UT on 4th and goal from the one. Big stop. during fourth quarter
• Has Chykie Brown been playing today? If he’s not healthy why is he playing now? Did I just miss him earlier? during fourth quarter
• Roughing passer by R Palmer is huge penalty. Gives KU 1st down instead of 4th and long. Now #UT defense needs 4 more stops. during fourth quarter
• Backups are in for #UT defense in front 7. We need stops and to hold them at 7, every point matters this time of year. Right @kbohls ? during fourth quarter
• Texas safeties are really hitting today. Gideon, Scott, and Thomas have all gotten in a good lick or 2 for #UT defense. during fourth quarter
• Great run by Fozzy. We’re definitely trying to milk the clock here. Love to see long drive and get some points, then get Colt out of there. during fourth quarter
• Collins makes up for his false start by getting wide open on post route. Looked just like play last week against BU. 36 yd TD. #UT 35, KU 7 during third quarter
• Christian Scott sure likes to fly around at safety. Big hit, strip the RB, then recovers the fumble for #UT. Texas needs to put this away. during third quarter
• Not sure where the safety was but Cosby makes the catch on the slant on 3rd down for the TD. Good protection & good throw. #UT 28, KU 7 during third quarter
• Three straight Kirkendoll catches. That was a LOOOONG WR screen/hitch. Don’t like the play call but Kirk fought and got the 1st down. during third quarter
• Very nice catch on a quick slant by James Kirkendoll gets #UT another first down. during third quarter
• First long McCoy run in several weeks. Middle of the field opened up wide for him and he took off for 25 yards out to midfield. during third quarter
• Christian Scott catches like the guy he replaced (Gideon). Scott can’t hang on to the floater. #UT during third quarter
• Why do our DBs interfere after they’ve got great coverage? Beasley was there but got a little handsy once the ball was in the air. #UT during third quarter
• Blake Gideon is down with head/neck injury. Took a big hit from KU RB. during third quarter
• Wild 4th and long catch by KU extends drive and KU punches it in. Huge play keeps Kansas in the game. #UT 21, KU 7 during third quarter
• Blitzes by #UT defense have been successful today but KU has given QB decent time if we only bring 4. during third quarter
• Why can’t we run block like that outside the red zone? Another easy TD run, this time by Chris O. #UT 21, KU 0 during third quarter
• KU moved first and then Dockery. Bad false start call by refs but it was a close one. Sets up tough 3rd and 15. during third quarter
• #UT fakes the FG on 4th down and Shipley flies over top of everyone for 1st. Aggressive 3rd and 4th down play calls. during third quarter
• #UT will start 2nd half with good field position as kickoff goes out of bounds. start of third quarter
• RT @bevobeat: Halftime stats: Run yds: TX 38, KU 3 … Pass yds: TX 122, KU 99 … First downs: TX 12, KU 4 … McCoy 14 of 19 passing. during halftime
• First half ends with #UT leading by 14. Great job by the defense so far but the offense needs to pick it up. Remember style points matter. end of second quarter
• @bevobeat I’d rather not have repeat of Nebraska in snow. How bout a big 2nd half performance and an easy win? during second quarter
• Colt has all day to throw and then eventually scrambles in from about 5 yards out for the score. Great blocking. #UT 14, KU 0 during second quarter
• #UT coaches doing great job finding ways to get Fozzy involve in the offense. Couple of nice receptions on this drive. during second quarter
• Quan Cosby made great diving effort for the pass but I think he retweaked his back doing it. #UT during second quarter
• Bad chop block call against KU. But it doesn’t matter as next play is 20 yd gain. #UT during second quarter
• #UT offensive line is struggling pretty badly opening up running holes. during second quarter
• Looks like pretty clear fumble. Let’s hope replay doesn’t F it up for #UT during second quarter
• Great job by Shipley on the (as usual) mediocrely blocked WR tunnel screen. He fought and dove and just got the 1st down. during second quarter
• First issue with using Twitter to live bog. POS servers go down all the time. While we were out, #UT defense had another big 4th down stop. during second quarter
• Kansas just blew up rubgy punt with a quick edge rush and Tucker shanked it. #UT defense will have to defense a short field again. during second quarter
• 1st quarter ends with #UT holding 7 point lead. Horns will have to head into the wind now. end of first quarter
• good pressure by Acho and Houston on 4th down. #UT defense gets the ball back after the turnover. great job. during first quarter
• First snap for McCoy under new center D Snow is a fumble by #UT. Crap. KU football during first quarter
• Gotta be able to get a 3rd & 1. KU fans are pretty dense (& so is replay crew) as McGee was down for about 4 seconds before ball came out. during first quarter
• 3 and out for the defense. Pass into triple coverage popped the ball up in the air and could’ve been a pick for #UT. Punt time. during first quarter
• I LOVE that we’re finally able to run the ball on 2nd & 10. Great job by V McGee to scoot in for the game’s first TD. Gr8 run. #UT 7, KU 0 during first quarter
• Like the deep post to Shipley on 3rd and 5. Easy pass interference call for the refs givs #UT first down. during first quarter
• KU’s leading WR Meier is having hamstring issues which could be a story throughout the game. during first quarter
• KU linemen are cutting the d-line at the snap and so far it’s working. Kindle got his hand up and knocked that one down though. #UT during first quarter
• No Orakpo yet, FSN just said we’d see him mainly on passing downs. during first quarter
• Lots of guys down there on the opening kickoff but #UT missed two tackles. Still stopped them short of the 20. start of first quarter
• Gosh Mark Mangino looks warm. pregame
• Almost kickoff, if FSN is live the KU crowd looks pretty nonexistent. #UT pregame
• Retweeting @bevobeat: Real men don’t need sleeves. http://twitpic.com/lxle pregame
• RT @kbohls: Blistering cold. KU basketball SID told me it’s 30 degrees. Wind makes it much worse. Pity the players who don’t play today.#ut pregame

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Will Texas win (and with style) in Lawrence?

Texas is still sitting in great shape in the BCS rankings but has to keep winning for any of it to matter. Up this week is Kansas who put a big scare into Texas faithful the last time the Horns went to Lawrence. This week the Horns must overcome injuries and weather but they’re the better team and will be two touchdown favorites at kickoff.

Will the banged up offensive line be able to protect Colt McCoy? Can the running game help negate the bad weather? Will the Texas defense keep Lake Travis’ own Todd Reesing scrambling for his life? Find out what the editors on the 40 Acres think below…

Brian - Texas needs an impressive performance today in hopes of jumping Oklahoma in the Coaches Poll, but with 20 MPH winds and wind chill of around 27° at kickoff points may be a little harder to come by. The Horns need to come out strong, let Foswhitt Whittaker loose, and let the running game drive the offense for the first time all year. The KU offensive line has been pretty porous all year, so I expect a big game from whoever is healthy enough to play on the defensive line for Texas. Texas 35 - Kansas 14.

Matt - Expect weather to be a factor, as a cold front is coming in so it will be colder and windier than usual. So far this season Kansas hasn’t lived up to expectations, but they have one of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12 and are always a threat to put up some points. Texas needs to keep winning in order to keep their National Championship hopes alive, so I expect to see their best effort this weekend. They have learned to not take any opponents for granted (aka the last time they played in Lawrence, KS). The spread here is 13, which is no where near enough. Texas will win by 20. Texas 40 - Kansas 20.

Mike - This has all the makings for a trap game. The game is early and on the road, Texas is beat up physically and most likely mentally, Kansas can put up points, and it is going to be cold. The problem for Kansas is that so many people have been asking Texas about the possibility of a let down game that I think the team wants nothing more than to play football. The fact is Kansas is just not that good. Anything is possible on any given Saturday, but Texas is just plain better at every position on the field. The only way Kansas has is to force turnovers and make big plays. The Longhorns have been good at minimizing both of those aspects from this season. UT wins this one going away. Texas 51 - Kansas 23

Listed as questionable are two key members of the defensive line in end Brian Orakpo and tackle Lamarr Houston. Both players could play and rumors are both should be on the field today in Lawrence. Safety Ben Wells is also questionable.

With the offensive line injury, off field, and performance issues the last few weeks it is very good news that left tackle Adam Ulatoski is probable.

LOL Mangino

#3 Texas at Kansas (+13) - 12:30 PM EST on FSN. Definitely can’t take this game lightly after what happened last time in Lawrence, KS. Expect weather to be a factor, as a cold front is coming in so it will be colder and windier than usual. So far this season Kansas hasn’t lived up to expectations, but they have one of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12 and are always a threat to put up some points. Texas didn’t have their best game last week, which probably isn’t too much of a surprise in a letdown game against Baylor. Texas should get things back on track this weekend and I see them destroying Kansas. Give the points.

#25 South Carolina at #4 Florida (-22) - 3:30 PM EST on CBS. In my opinion Florida is the best team in the nation right now. Their speed on offense is absolutely ridiculous, and Tebow continues to just enough to not screw up. I think I could run an offense if all I had to do was hand the ball that Harvin, Demps, or Rainey. South Carolina has no shot in this game simply because they don’t have the speed to keep up with Florida, and the game is being played at the Swamp. This one could be over in the 1st quarter. Take Florida.

Boston College at #19 Florida St (-6) - 8:00 PM EST on ABC. Not really much to watch at night, but this match-up in the ACC will go a long way in determining who will be playing for the ACC championship. I think this game will come down to whether or not Florida State can impose their will and continue to run the ball as well as they have been lately. Boston College is no slouch on defense, allowing only 102 yards per game. Both teams don’t really have high-powered offenses, so I see this one staying close. Boston College should stay within the 6 points here.

Vondrell McGee

With the emergence of Chris Ogbonnaya and the comeback of a healthy Foswhitt Whittaker, the sophomore has become a forgotten man in the Longhorn backfield. Ogbonnaya is still suffering through an ankle injury while Whittaker doesn’t have the body to carry an entire games worth of runs. Because of this McGee has found himself still getting carries after a slow start to the season. In fairness to McGee he was banged up as well early in the year but appears to be back close to 100%. Quietly McGee has played extremely well in the last few weeks. On the road, especially in windy and cold conditions, good teams need to be able to get some plays out of the running game. Whittaker will be the main guy, but if McGee can come in and keep the chains moving the Longhorns may be able to wear out an undersized Kansas defense. McGee performs best when he is coming off the bench and with Whittaker and maybe Ogbonnaya in front of him this week McGee is right where he needs to be.

David Snow

Last week many were wondering if the true freshman from Gilmer was beginning to push the older guys at the guard position for some serious playing time. The coaching staff loves Snow’s mean streak and competitive nature. This week starting center Chris Hall went down in practice with a leg injury and with the dismissal of Buck Burnette for racist comments on the internet Snow finds himself the starting center for the first time in his career. Snow should get a challenge in his first start because it is on the road and opposing teams have been found of blitzing Colt McCoy. Snow has played mostly guard on the season, but Mack Brown says he still practices snaps before every practice. Certainly Snow has concentrated more on center for the past week and a half after the dismissal of Burnette. Having the quarterback in the shotgun for the majority of the game should help the young center, but if Texas looks lost in blitz pickup we’ll know the freshman is taking his lumps.

Sergio Kindle

Of course everyone looks for Kindle every game. He has become a dominant force on the Texas defense, and may have done enough over the season to become a hot target in this year’s NFL draft. This week don’t necessarily just watch Kindle’s play, watch where the junior lines up. Kindle is listed as a linebacker, but as the season progresses he has been lined up more and more at defensive end. For the first part of the season he only did this on obvious passing downs, but with Brian Orakpo missing last week’s game Kindle lined up at defensive end almost exclusively. Kindle excels when playing downhill and coming off the edge. He has struggled in space on pass coverage, so Will Muschamp has turned Kindle into Texas’ version of Lawrence Taylor. Orakpo is expected to be back, but it is unlikely he will be at full strength. Look to see the ratio of snaps at defensive end to linebacker for Kindle this week.

Earl Thomas

The red-shirt freshman safety played his best game of his young college career last week against Baylor, a week after being one of the two players that gave up Michael Crabtree’s winning touchdown in Lubbock. It was huge for Thomas to bounce back and he did, showing the mental toughness that Muschamp has been glowing about since spring practice. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the young Texas secondary faces another tough test in the passing game. The young safeties have had their struggles on the season but they have played extremely well for the most part. The best evidence for that was the long pass play the Texas defense gave up on the first play Thomas was out with a minor injury. Ben Wells came in to replace Thomas and got beat deep for the only long passing play Baylor was able to muster against the Longhorns. Thomas was able to come back into the game and continued to play well. He may have been the best player on the field for UT’s defense last week and that kind of play will be huge again for Texas to avoid an upset in Lawrence.

Ryan Bailey/Hunter Lawrence

Most fans are hoping this game doesn’t come down to a field goal. Not because they don’t have confidence in the Texas kicking game, but because they feel UT should be able to win big against a struggling Kansas team. The last time Texas went to Lawrence they barely came out with a victory, so a close game is not out of the question. After being the place kicker last year Ryan Bailey lost his job in fall camp to Hunter Lawrence. The change had come without much fanfare because Lawrence was perfect on the season. That changed last week when Lawrence missed both of his field goals. In the end the misses did not matter, but when Texas lined up for their third field goat attempt Ryan Bailey trotted out for the try. Bailey made the kick and the questions about who would be the kicker going forward began before the referees even raised their arms. Bailey didn’t appear to do anything to loss his job, and he has proven he can make big kicks as he did in Nebraska. The coaches said Lawrence didn’t kick the last field goal because he was “sore”. We will know on the first field goal attempt if this was just lip service or not.

Will the Texas defense overwhelm Kansas?

The Texas Longhorns visit Kansas this Saturday in what could become a classic trap game. They’re on the road, it will be cold, injuries are piling up, and they’re facing an underachieving team. The Jayhawks have struggled this season after shocking the college football world last season. With all the BCS scenarios out there, the only thing Texas can control is how they handle Jayhawks. The last time a favored Longhorn team looking for a BCS berth went to Lawrence they got saved by a questionable pass interference call. Texas won’t get the benefit of refereeing on Saturday, so they must win it with a solid effort.

When Texas has the ball

Texas played a good game last week in the win against Baylor even if it wasn’t as dominating of a performance as some would have liked. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy continued his good play by throwing for 300 yards and five touchdown passes. Baylor was able to get into the passing lanes by dropping as many as nine defenders on passing plays. The Bears were able to get their hands on a number of McCoy passes and even were able to intercept three of the attempts on the day.

It doesn’t appear any Big 12 defenses match up with the opposing offenses and Kansas is no different. The only thing that will stop the Longhorn offense is the Longhorn offense. The thing to watch is the offensive line play when Kansas blitzes. Junior Chris Hall is going to miss the game, and with the dismissal of backup Buck Burnette last week, true freshman David Snow will get the start. It will be his first start and it will come on the road. Snow has played a bunch this year, but mostly at guard, and his calls up front will be key for protection. The coaching staff has been very high on the former Gilmer star and he’ll look to show why on Saturday.

On the road in November is where a team needs a running game. It isn’t enough to run the ball when the other team lets you. A great team needs to be able to run the ball when the referees, the fans, and the opposing defense know the run is coming. Texas has yet to be able to do that this year, and it is unlikely that a running game is going to appear. Help has come in the way of Foswhitt Whittaker, but even the speedy freshman is not going to be the complete answer. With McCoy beat up and unwilling to be the running threat he was early in the year UT will continue to use a stable of backs. If Texas can come out and dominate the line of scrimmage this game will not be close, unfortunately that has been something this team has lacked thus far.

The Longhorn offense will continue to go as McCoy goes. The lack of a consistent running game has put a huge load on the junior’s shoulders. He has responded in every way possible, and he is most likely going to have to do it again in order for UT to keep their national title hopes alive. The Longhorns are only one of five teams in the nation to have two receivers with over 60 catches on the season, and it is likely McCoy will continue to rely heavily on Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby. Cosby played last week through an injury and should be able to go again this week. Any help from another receiver would be a bonus.

When Kansas has the ball

The good news is that superstar Brian Orakpo should be back and ready to go after missing last week’s game because of injury. The bad news is Texas is facing another quarterback that wants to send a statement to the UT coaching staff that they should have recruited him. Texas passed the first test when they spoiled the dream of Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel. The Longhorns face another life long Horn in the form of former Lake Travis star Todd Reesing.

Kansas has struggled protecting Reesing lately, and that figures to play right into the Longhorn defenses strength. In many ways Kansas offers the same set of challenges that the Missouri offense provided. Texas was able to get pressure on Daniel and cause disruption by getting their hands up in the passing lane. The defensive line was able to knock down numerous balls allowing the group to apply pressure because Missouri was in countless third and longs. Reesing is another quarterback under six feet, in fact it is probably the reason he is not wearing burnt orange on Saturday. Will Muschamp’s defense must disrupt the rhythm of Kansas’ offense by making them one dimensional and attacking. The only way Kansas hurts Texas is if the Jayhawks can get enough out of their running game to keep Texas out of pinning their ears back on third down.

On paper it would appear the Longhorn front seven has nothing to worry about when it comes to Kansas’ run game. After a great start the linebacking unit for the Horns has struggled in the last few weeks tackling in space. Kansas does a good job of getting their skill players in space and exploiting the other team’s lack of athleticism. They don’t necessarily line up and run it at you, but they do a good job with screens and dump passes of getting their backs involved. The Longhorns will look to get pressure with four so the linebackers can shadow what the backfield of the Jayhawks tries to do.

The group under the most pressure will be the secondary. Texas has been up and down in the back of their defense, sometimes in the same game, but that is to be expected with such a young group. They have been challenged seemingly every week, and they face another test on Saturday. Kansas is also one of the five teams in the nation with two receivers with over 60 receptions. The group is led by former quarterback Kerry Meier. He is great at running routes and finding holes in the zone. Texas is hoping Chykie Brown is back from injury, but odds are even if he is the defense will look to put a number of bodies on Meier.

The Longhorns need to get some stops early so the offense can put the game away. If Texas can put some distance in between them and the underdog Jayhawks this one will turn into a route.

Read the story below from SI.com, no link because they don’t deserve it:

Crime and punishment at Texas
Bill Trocchi

Sorry if I’m late on this topic, but let me get this straight.

Texas linebacker Sergio Kindle was arrested for driving while intoxicated in the summer of 2007 and got a three-game suspension.

Texas defensive end Henry Melton was arrested for driving while intoxicated in the summer of 2007 and got a three-game suspension.

Texas defensive tackle Lamarr Houston was arrested for driving while intoxicated in September and got a one-game suspension. Here’s a link on all three arrests.

Texas center Buck Burnette posted a text message he received from a friend that contained a racial slur directed at Barack Obama on his Facebook page and was dismissed from the team.

Huh?

Ah, now I see. Look at the depth chart. Kindle, Melton and Houston all start. Burnette was a backup. Hmmmm.

Clearly, discipline needed to be handed out in all four cases. But the Facebook incident is by far the least punishable. Offensive? Yes. Stupid? Yes. Endangering the lives of others? No.

You can’t suspend a guy for one game after a DWI arrest and dismiss another for a Facebook racial slur. It is an insincere attempt to show you run such a clean and virtuous a program that you boot (backup) players when they post stupid, racially insensitive remarks on a Facebook page.

And then you hope nobody notices you start three drunk drivers on defense.

Let’s review those facts…

• Melton, Kindle, and Houston received lighter punishments because they’re starters. - Actually only Houston was a starter at the time of his arrest. Kindle was a second stringer who mainly saw time on special teams while Melton was buried on the depth chart after switching to defense from running back.
• “The Facebook incident is by far the least punishable.” - Actually, threatening the life of the President is a federal offense, but it doesn’t sound like he knew what Burnette actually said. Just today a Spring man was sentenced to 30 months in jail for threatening George W. Bush and another man faces up to 35 years in jail for threats he made on Internet message boards. Sounds pretty serious to me. The first DWI offense in Texas is punishable with up to 180 days in jail.
• Backups don’t matter so it’s okay to punish them. - With the injury this week to starting center Chris Hall the importance of backups is even more clear. Texas will be starting a true freshman at center against Kansas instead of Burnette.

I can see that he’s easily confused.

I’m not sure what fact checking Sports Illustrated does of their FanNation blog, but this article should have never gone up. Despite repeated corrections to the article being posted by commenters the original story still hasn’t been updated or corrected.

From the press release on the award’s official site:

Laurinaitis, Maualuga, Orakpo, Smith named Rotary Lombardi Award Finalists.

Three defensive players and one offensive player - three seniors and one junior - were named today as finalists for the 39th Rotary Lombardi Award, presented by Wachovia. This year’s award dinner will be held on December 10 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Downtown Houston. Houston Dynamo President and former Houston Oiler Oliver Luck will be the featured speaker at the event.

University of Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo is the 11th Longhorn finalist. Orakpo is a senior who battled a knee injury for the entire 2007 season but ended the year by earning Defensive MVP honors at the Holiday Bowl. The last winner from Texas was Tony Degrate in 1984.

Founded in the weeks following the 1970 death from cancer of legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, the Rotary Lombardi Award has consistently delivered upon the mission set forth by Marie Lombardi when she granted the use of her late husband’s name. Her only stipulation was that all net proceeds from the event be donated to the American Cancer Society. Millions of dollars have been raised since that time.

Watch the highlights:

The 2005 AL Rookie of the Year saved 18 games for Oakland last season but had none in the final two months of the season as rookie sidearmer Brad Ziegler came on. Colorado is expected to lose close Brian Fuentes to free agency opening a spot at the end of games for the former Horn. Despite being headed to the thin air of Colorado, the chance to be the number one guy in the bullpen makes this a opportunity for Street.

Source

Ricky Williams rushed for a season-high 105 yards

The former Longhorns were led by Ricky Williams and Bo Scaife this week. The group in Tennessee keep on winning while the guys in Kansas City, Detroit, and Oakland are already looking forward to the offseason.

Tarell Brown - Brown played a good game at cornerback against one of the best receiving core in the NFL on Monday night against the Cardinals. Brown played on nickel situations, which there were plenty of. He finished with tackles on the night.

Jamaal Charles - Last week the rookie running back posted his first career 100 yard game and this week Charles got rewarded with the start. Unlike last week Charles was never able to get anything going after being injured on his first carry. He was able to come back into the game, but remained largely ineffective. Charles has suffered through ankle injuries before, so hope it is an isolated incident. He gained only eight yards on three carries in the game.

Phil Dawson - Dawson had another good game going three for three with a long of 52. He was also perfect on his extra points. The veteran is now 17 of 19 on the year.

Cedric Griffin - Cedric has become a consistent player in this league. He plays with an attitude and is becoming a better tackler. Griffin has a great player opposite him to learn from in Antoine Winfield. Griffin finished with three tackles against the Packers.

Michael Griffin - The Titans keep winning and Griffin keeps playing well. He ended up with five tackles on the night, but was all over the field on defense and in special teams in the win over the Bears. Tennessee remains the only undefeated team left in the NFL and they’re doing it with solid defense.

Ahmard Hall - The fullback and ex-Marine didn’t have his best ball game even though his team won. Hall fumbled a carry on the goal line that would have put the Titans on the board first. The Tennessee run game was not up to their standards but they still came away with the victory.

Michael Huff - Huff didn’t get many chances in the game against Carolina because both passing offenses were inept. The former Thorpe award winner only registered one tackle on the game that saw Steve Smith only catch one pass and Jake Delhomme only completed seven total.

Quentin Jammer - Jammer’s Chargers squeaked by the Chiefs on Sunday to save their season. Jammer has come into his own on the season. Teams are avoiding his side when they can, but the physical corner still recorded three pass defenses and four tackles. Jammer is playing the best out of all the corners from Texas in the NFL.

Frank Okam - The big rookie got some playing time in the blowout loss to the Ravens. He didn’t disappoint, recording three tackles in the game. Okam had only made one tackle on the season prior to this game. If Okam stays in shape he should become a player in the NFL.

Cory Redding - The Lions are awful. That may not do it justice. Redding has been a bright spot on the team when he has been healthy. On Sunday the defensive tackle was credited with three tackles. Did I mention the Lions are awful?

Brian Robison - Robison got some playing time and rewarded the team with a sack. He is in a tough spot backing up Jared Allen, but Robison has shown flashes and should start to produce once his opportunities increase.

Shaun Rogers - I’ve never seen more people assigned to one nose tackle in my life. There were times when Denver triple teamed Rogers with a running back coming in to chip him on his way out of the backfield. Rogers still recorded two tackles on the game, but his main contribution was freeing up other defenders. The Browns gave another game away on Thursday night.

Aaron Ross - Ross gave up a touchdown in the win against the Eagles but played pretty good after it. His future wife, Sonya Richards, gave the Texas football team a pep talk before the game against Baylor this past weekend too. Ross finished with two tackles and one pass breakup.

Bo Scaife - Scaife had a huge game for the Titans with 10 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. When Tennessee picked up Alge Crumpler many thought Scaife’s roll would be reduced, but it has been the opposite. Even with Vince Young on the bench, the Titans have looked for Scaife on third down and near the goal line. That is the biggest sign of what the Titan staff thinks of the former Texas tight end.

Nathan Vasher - It is clear watching Vasher on Sunday that he is not 100 percent yet. He gave up an easy touchdown on a simple slant patter early in the loss against the Titans. When he is healthy Vasher is one of the more dangerous corners in the league, but when he is hobbled he is no better than average.

Ricky Williams - Ricky recorded his first 100 yard game since his return to the NFL. He gained half of it on one touchdown run of 51 yards. He finished with 105 yards on 12 carries. The Heisman voter carried the ball one less time this week than his last two weeks combined.

Texas’ ranking against the Sooners is huge on the chance their is a three-way tie between those two teams and the Red Raiders for the Big 12 South. In that scenario the division winner will be determined by which team has the highest BCS ranking. If the Horns end up winning out and in the Big 12 Championship, a win over the North’s representative would likely mean a shot at the whole enchilada.

The BCS top 10 rankings are listed below:

Related: View the full BCS rankings

Fozzy Whittaker rushed 15 times for 77 yards

The Longhorns bounced back with a solid win against an improved Baylor team on Saturday in front of a lackluster crowd at DKR Memorial Stadium. The student section was empty for the beginning of the game and the blue hair section emptied pretty early in the second half. Luckily the football team doesn’t front run like the fans seem to and showed up to play. With a couple of key guys down with injury some of the usual suspects and a few under the radar guys stepped up in the win.

1. Quan Cosby - Coming into the game the thought was that Cosby wouldn’t even play. The Waco native felt good enough to go against his home town team and didn’t disappoint. Cosby got the scoring going on a touchdown pass from Colt McCoy on Texas’ first drive. When Cosby and Jordan Shipley are on the field together this offense is on a different level. The senior finished the game with 111 yards on eight catches including two touchdowns.
2. Ryan Palmer - The smallish senior cornerback gets overlooked in Texas’ secondary because of the perceived ability of the younger guys at his position, but Palmer is a leader on this team and continues to perform better than anyone could have ever imagined. Baylor had tied up the score at 14 in the second quarter when Palmer made the biggest play of the game on a 23 yard interception return for a touchdown. It was the catalyst for the 31 point run UT would go on to put the game away. Palmer added a sack and a pass breakup to his stat line later in the game.
3. Colt McCoy - It says something about this season’s play of Colt McCoy and the expectations of the UT fan base when the junior signal caller can throw for five touchdowns and 300 yards and many still feel like he under performed. McCoy didn’t have his best game of the year but he was solid while completing 26 of 37 attempts. The Heisman contender has relied less on his legs to make yards only gaining 22 yards on the game. But he is buying more time in the pocket and keeping plays alive for his receivers. Yes he threw two interceptions, but it was a big win and a good day for McCoy.
4. Roy Miller - The big guy in the middle made his two tackles on the day count by recording both of them as sacks on Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin. Brian Orakpo gets all the press clippings, but the loss of Miller after this season will be the most costly for the Texas program. The senior dominates his gap on nearly every play and has the ability to go from run stopping to pass rushing at will. His play at defensive tackle may not even be what he does best. When Miller lines up at fullback and lead blocks on short yardage situation he is devastating.
5. Earl Thomas - After a rough week last week Thomas rebounded to play his best game of his career. He didn’t record any interceptions or sacks but he was all over the field and made sure tackles all game. The freshman safety made a good play in the end zone on an early Baylor drive and showed how valuable he is when Baylor scored on a long pass on the first play Thomas missed with an injury. It was the only big play the Bears would get in the passing game because Thomas came back in on the next possession. It was important for Thomas to rebound and get some confidence back and he did with a team leading five tackles, with three coming for losses.
6. Jordan Shipley - Shipley makes catches when he has to. It is that simple. He is a third down catching machine. Every time McCoy needs to make a play or convert a first down it is obvious Shipley is the first progression on the route. Shipley is a senior who will most likely be back next year because of a medical redshirt that will surely be rewarded. His chemistry with McCoy is better than any receiver-quarterback combination to ever play at Texas. He finished the game with six catches for 81 yards and another touchdown. Shipley has scored a touchdown in every game this year.
7. Foswhitt Whittaker - I think Texas has found their running back. The staff knew they had one all along, but it was nice to see the speedy freshman be able to carry the load and get over 15 touches. Whittaker possesses a burst that no one else on the roster has, and with the type of offense Texas has moved to his ability would figure to go best with the schemes. Fozzy has struggled with nagging knee injuries all year, but appeared to make it through the game without any problems. With Chris Ogbonnaya figuring to come back next week it will be interesting to see how Greg Davis and Major Applewhite distribute the snaps. Ogbonnaya will get the third down snaps, but Whittaker should begin to get more and more on first and second down.
8. Roddrick Muckelroy - Despite what the numbers show, Texas’ run defense was solid throughout the night. Baylor finished with 201 yards of total rushing, but 130 of those yards came on three runs (two on options by Robert Griffin and one late in the game by a running back). For the most part the front seven (six for most of the game) played extremely well. Muckelroy lead the team in tackles again, tied with Earl Thomas with five, but showed his speed when he chased down Robert Griffin on one of the speedy quarterbacks long runs. Muckelroy has turned into the best linebacker of the group because he has finally been able to stay healthy.
9. Henry Melton - Quietly Henry Melton is becoming an above average defensive end. After struggling at running back for his first few years at Texas, Melton was finally convinced to move to defense by pointing out that is where he would make money at the next level. It might not be the most noble reason to agree to move positions, but however it happen it has helped both Melton and the Longhorns. With Brian Orakpo out Melton was allowed to stay on the field on third downs, and he responded with three quarterback pressures to go along with his two tackles. The light has finally come on for the big guy out of Grapevine.
10. Justin Tucker - Throughout the season Tucker has done a good job on kickoffs by getting good height and distance on his kicks. Beginning last week Texas began going to the “rugby” style punts with Tucker being the man executing the duty. This style of kicking doesn’t allow for returns and also provides for opportunities to fake the punt if the opposing team doesn’t cover the edge. Texas hasn’t tried to fake off of it yet, but Tucker does have the athleticism to pull it off when they do call it. He only had to punt once, but it went for 53 yards and forced Baylor to go the length of the field.
11. Ryan Bailey - Somehow Bailey lost his job to Hunter Lawrence during preseason practices. No one had mentioned it because up until the Baylor game Lawrence had been perfect on his extra points and perfect on his field goals. Against Baylor Lawrence missed both of his field goal attempts, one being a chip shot, and was replaced for the last kick by last year’s starter Ryan Bailey. Mack Brown said Lawrence’s leg was “sore”, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bailey trot out for Texas’ next field goal attempt.