Serious responses. In my opinion, we'd need some kind of epic injury meltdown and playing Marty Cherry at QB to go any worse than 8-4. I'm not rationalizing that 8-4 is "acceptable" by any means, but it's better than last year and easily attainable given what we have and the changes in place. QB is obviously the big offensive question mark. We need a game manager who can throw the ball 25 yards if needed to. Neither of them really showed that last year (except for Ash's TDs to Davis against ISU and Goodwin against Cal). But would their faults necessarily lead to 5+ losses again? Highly doubtful. If Trent Dilfer can win a Super Bowl, either of these guys can hand the ball off and manage the 1st down marker. RB is not a problem. TE is a weakness but not glaring enough in this system. WR is deeper than the last two seasons, although inexperienced and inconsistent. Still... any worse than last year? I think not. OL is the deepest its been since 2006. Definitely not very experienced, but still needs to be better for that 8-4 record. I don't see them being any worse than 2011. DE is the shizz. DT seems to be repaired for a little while. I'd like to see how Moore, Whaley, and Brown do in game situations a bit more. I think losing Randall will hurt some of the middle game in the early conference slate, but not by the end of the season. Not enough for 5+ losses, at least. LB is in the best condition since DJ's last season in 2004. DB should be a top-5 secondary. Special teams: While I don't worry about the return game, I do about the coverage teams and the personnel at K/P. We should be improved on kickoffs, but you never know when you're playing newcomers. King should be solid on punts because he has been the last couple seasons at Duke, but what about blocks and all that stuff? The NC State game nightmare still lingers forever in the back of my mind. I say we're 9-3 because of the QB issues and new people on the field at key positions. Anyone really think that 7-5 or 6-6 is a true possibility?
8-4 would probably land this coaching regime in some serious hot water with fans anyway, maybe not administration. I think we go no worse than 9-3 and I'm hoping that we get solid QB play and go better than that.
I think 8-4 is definitely possible. I think that would mean two home losses and one away, as well as one in Dallas. That would be ugly and anything worse would be, well, uglier. Personally I think this team is capable of 9-10 wins. If the O-line and QBs are a above average and we avoid injuries, I think anything is possible, including running the table.
Anything is possible...no one knows about injuries or whose performance is gonna slip. That being said, with just the average breaks and some good coaching, this team should hit nine wins pretty easily, and ten's a definite possibility for the regular season.
No. We will ALL have a lot better idea after this first game - generally - what kind of team the Horns will have this season. I think an 8-4 finish will result in some serious fan & big donor grumbling but I really think, at this point, that the Horns do no worse than 9-3, barring a bunch of key injuries or something else - I think Marty Cherrys' eligibility is up so we won't have to worry about him, Gary Shaw or Ron Weaver
I wouldn't think so with our D but.... and this is a bit BUT. If our O-line can not block we are doomed. The Qb may never have to complete a pass if the Backs can average 4 yrds a carry but the O-line is key. The QB is the bigger concern but a years worth of experience should help. Oh I hope it helps.
Wyoming - win New Mexico - win Ole Miss - win OSU - should win W. Virginia - toss-up ou - toss up Baylor - win Kansas - win Tech - win Iowa St. - win TCU - win K State - toss up Should be favored in all but 2-3 games. Not that that means anything. 10-2 would be good, 11-1 great, and 12-0 speaks for itself. With this defense, running game, and improved passing attack, this team is certainly capable of winning every game. Must stay healthy, get some luck here and there, and who knows what can happen. Looking forward more to this season than any in the recent past.
I feel much better about a good season with a QB decision finally announced. Any call is better than having co-holders of the position. I just hope that the coaching staff gives Ash a chance to dig himself out of the first hole or two in which he finds himself.
I can't see how we are going to know anything after the first 3 games. All 3 of those teams were absolutely horrible against the run last year. We will pile up 250 rushing yards per game against them. But what will we know about our passing game come OU? We will not be able to pound the ball down their throats. Even with a stellar D, there are games that we are going to need big offense to win--OSU, OU, WVA, K-State, hell even Tech. The first couple of 3rd and 8's will tell us what kind of year it's going to be. I just don't see too many of those coming in the first 3 games. I'm afraid the development of our QB's won't be fully know until at least OSU.
a loss at OkSt or an upset at Ole Miss(great athletes, so sometimes things happen) and you could see 4 losses in a row. TCU and KSU will be tough and could be 1 or two losses. I think we only lose 1 or 2, but 5 or 6 losses is totally possible with injuries, overachieving teams and UT underperforming at times.
If we lose to Ole Miss, the entire staff should be fired that night. New Mexico is the only team on our slate worse than Ole Miss, at least by every computer ranking last year. They're slow and have no leadership on offense. I'm going to be mad if we don't beat them by 4 TDs, or if they gain over 200 yards total. They're basically at the same level as North Texas or Kent State.
Worse than 8-4 means 7-5 (or worse), so God no, I don't see UT doing that. I think 9-3 should be the floor. If the qbs gel, then go for better.
Barring injuries becoming a factor, IMHO - anything less than 9-3 is not good, very troubling, cause for concern, etc., etc.
I think we do better than 8-4. This team has heart again. The bad Mojo of 2010 is out of our system. But they still have a chip on their shoulder and feel like they have something to prove. Without even looking at the depth chart or the schedule, I think this team could be something special. They just need a couple of leaders to emerge.
8-4? Child, please. Our passing game only has to be good, not great. We will have that. The running game with Brown, Bergeron and Gray will wear opponents down. Manny’s defense will viciously wreck ****. Vaccaro will break someone’s liver. We win it all in 2012. And 2013 because we return many bad asses.
Looking at the schedule and and at the team as it is today this is a 9-10 win team. But injuries, stupid actions that lead to suspensions, and a whole host of other things can impact a season both good and bad. This teams upside is far better than its downside and I like them to go 10-2 but I would not be shocked by 8-4 or 12-0. Less than 8 wins and it is a failure of a season.
