Call me ENlightened, or at least something that's printable in mixed company. For the benefit of any readers who might happen to be my bosses, this is a for-free effort that in no way is meant to be representative of any views expressed in a certain South Texas newspaper. Thank you. For more on Texas football and my love of it, please check out my home page.

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Texas 53, Houston 26

I'll freely admit, the view from Section 108 South was a bit fuzzy last weekend. As in, if anyone could describe UH's 80-yard touchdown play in the fourth quarter for me, I'd appreciate it. Everything past 40-14 (other than, oddly, Cedric's TD) is a blur. I recall the beer being good and cold, though. And I remember being at home, so no driving was necessary.

My hope going into Saturday's Texas Tech game is that the coaching staff's view was a bit clearer. For while the season to date has been successful in ways we haven't known since 1994, there is obvious and immediate need for improvement. There's not a team in the country that can't say the same (even the Miamis and Virginia Techs of the world who have skated through tackling-dummy-caliber opponents that make Texas' first three foes look like Murderer's Row), but the Longhorns have something few others have: the talent to solve most any problem.

As always, there have been countless helpful suggestions via phone and Internet, which I'm sure the coaches have taken to heart and will weigh more heavily than any information gained through years of experience. I was asked recently my assessment of the handling of personnel this season as part of a broader, frequent complaint of mine; namely, that some people never are happy with anything, all evidence to the contrary. I will say only this: I'd play Derrick Johnson more, and even on offense if I didn't think he'd drop before the game was over (play him where is irrelevant). Past that, our best players are on the field. Whether they're always playing at their best is another story.

My gut feeling is that the coaching staffs on either side of the ball have been experimenting broadly and, in some areas, intentionally progressing slowly. This is a luxury you have with superior talent and a lesser schedule. I will admit to being as surprised as anyone with the play of the defense in Houston; for that, I have no ready explanations. Overall, however, the offense has gotten many of its early growing pains out of the way, and the defense has been suspect largely — and almost exclusively — in the areas everyone expected to be suspect. And the special teams have been a welcomed surprise.

I won't use this forum to criticize players openly, but obviously I'd like to see fewer drops from the wide receivers, more intelligent play from the linebackers, quicker starts on offense and surer tackling all around. To be able to say those things after three victories averaging nearly 30 points shows the foundation on which this team can now build.

Most pleasant surprises in non-conference? Ivan Williams. Tony Jeffery. Robbie Doane. Dusty Mangum. Ahmad Brooks.

Now, as Darrell Royal once said, there's nothing but necks on the platter. In college football, all the games matter, but none more so than conference games. And there, as countless posters have indicated, lies the true test of this team and its coaches and where it's headed. Will Greg Davis' game plan suddenly become closer to the vest now that the level of opposition will be improved? Will Carl Reese and his assistants devise a way to limit the misdirection and dump-off plays that have been an Achilles' heel against spread-oriented teams?

Hopefully, people will be smart enough to realize that every victory from here on out is a plus, even those that don't come by 30 points or more. Hopefully, more people will begin enjoying this team as it is rather than constantly criticizing what it's not. This isn't "Tin Cup," where the failure who went out guns blazing is somehow more noble than the steadier player who finished well ahead of him (although, yes, Don Johnson's character was a prick).

"Keep making pars, asshole," says Kevin Costner's character, derisively, after the first hole.

"I'll take 18 of 'em. All day long," replies Johnson's character.

We've got three. We only need 10 more.