3 of the programs that have been to BCS a lot in the past 15 years, Ohio State, USC and Oklahoma have all been on probation. One is on right now and another just got off of it. None of them are in one now. Cheating coaches at programs that allow it. Nay.
I think Brown should stay. For whatever reasons, this team bottomed out in 2010. I have learned through the years that successful management generally follows past performance. There are bumps in the road and down periods, but past performance is a good indicator of future performance. I think Brown knew what he had at the end of 2010 and iscorrecting the problems. 5-7, 8-5, 9-4 (with bowl win, and I think we will win the bowl). 2013,2014 & 2015 will be exceptional years for this team WITH this coaching staff. The close losses this year wont be losses next year. Brown is 6-1 in the last 7 bowl games and would probably be 7-0 if Colt doesn't get hurt. Brown is one of the best in the game and alot of fans need to look at where other programs are at right now. There are only a handful of coaches that can get results and get on the position of playing for a national championship. Mack Brown is one of those coaches. With the new format, I can see Brown getting us in the final four with the player on this team. Brown needs to stay.
Dovey, Your points about Stoops are certainly correct. However, are we hearing - have we heard - an uproar at ou to replace Stoops the way we are hearing it now about Mack? Stoops, even if imperfect (wow, that's a standard), has set a standard deep inside our own conference which any $5m coach should be accomplishing. But ... if you want to just throw him out, look around the nation --- is Mack performing as well as much lower paid coaches with fewer resources? No - and actually he is doing, and has done for long periods, just the opposite.
Mack is Mack... he has a great track record for recruiting talent... or at least what appears to be talent. This year he is stepping out from under his shadow and starting to make changes he has never made before. Picking up JUCO's for 1. He is a great ambassador for the program and what he has done for the program can not be questioned. OK... so the results have been pretty crappy in off years. The 2006 season would have been great if Colt didn't go down with injury. The 2007 Seasons was a downer. 08 and 09 were fantastic and since .... well 10,11, and now 12 have been way below expectations. I can grant a pass because of the success that has been had for the past 13 years but.... who would replace Mack. its easy to pick one hot name out there but how long would it take? Does that coach get a 4 year window? I think sticking with Mack is the way to go. I personally don't think the man wants to go out a loser.... and I think 1 more great season is all it takes before he walks of into the sunset on his own. Question is... how long will that take.
Darrell/Mack Comparison My comparison of Mack and Darrell is not meant to be scientific. I knew going into this that many people would not agree. I only meant for it to spur on discussion of whether history might influence people's opinions on whether Mack can do what Darrell did after three very subpar seasons. My hope is that Mack can turn things around, but once again, many on this thread are bringing up fairly obvious and potent points against retaining Mack for next year. If you have time, click the link above. It's a similar read with some good research by the OP.
"Fire Mack Brown" is not a solution it is only part of a very complex decision. Replace Mack Brown with ________ is part of that complex decision. The arguments made here to fire MB would be a lot more credible if they addressed a replacement as part of the discussion. IMO I think the age of this team, the injuries and the fact that they achieved exactly what or even better than most posters predicted before the season started gives MB a 2013 season to show what this team can do. I can't think of anyone who is willing to take the job that can come in from scratch and improve on what should be an improved 2013 season. Who do you suggest? Go Horns beat OSU!
Support Mack all you want. But, Im done spending money on this mediocre excuse machine. Of course, I will watch but with my money in my pocket
I am torn too. I know there is very little enthusiasm around this team today, but this sport is unpredictable. We could be one or two very special leaders from greatness (on offense - our defense's problems go deeper than players). I am leaning towards one more year for Mack. If he really, truly wants to be here. I don't have any inside knowledge, but I have a feeling Mack is burnt out and ready to quit but is only here waiting for the advantageous time to do it. Whatever, if he is just wanting more evidence that the ship has been righted, and looking to ID his heir apparent, then I trust his judgment to lave us in good hands. One more year of this is worth it to see things happen accordingly. On the other hand if he is expecting big things before he calls it quits, then we are in trouble. There will never be another year like 2009 where a championship birth and heir apparent align. And I hope he has the good sense to send Manny packing.
Detective S - for better or worse, I suspect Mack will somehow survive this season, but someone must be sacrificed at the alter of BEVO. Mack has to send Manny packing after this season.
I can tolerate 8-4. Especially from a coach who has done so much to restore Texas' culture of winning. What has grown old though is his thin-skinned defensiveness. Winning can cover a multitude of imperfections - as long as those imperfections aren't illegal or immoral. But getting so defensive of mediocrity tends to... well... defend that mediocrity - as if it's okay to be mediocre just as long as there are excuses for it. And I'm sick of that. It's time to sac up and shut up.
It's getting to the point where the whole football progam should be on the LHN. That way nobody can see it.
Damn Good Thread! Reminds me of HornFans in the good ole days... I think we know Mack isn't going any where this year and I say he has to keep this staff together. He handpicked them and everyone (ok most everyone) lauded the hires when they were made. Don't let him have the scapegoat of making the changes at DC, etc. Go another year with this staff and either win with them or to hell with them all.
We just lost a recruit (Hicks). So.... Are we taking on more water or (here comes sunshine pumper argument) is it just a personl matter entirely unrelated to the fact that the team has no buzz about it?
Another observation/question that has been on my mind all season. Maybe this should be another thread, but I'll place it here. The most indefensible coach in my mind is Diaz. But I have had a question with what he has had to deal with. I am not going to be a part of the excuse machine that so many talk about. I am open to being called out as my posts are meant to make us debate and maybe even me come to the conclusion that I am wrong in my support. I am just wondering what people think about one added variable: the Hicks injury. If I'm not mistaken people were singing praises to Diaz after his first year... at least most people. This year has obviously been another story, with me included. But I have continually wondered if we have drastically underestimated the impact of the injuries throughout this season, especially Hicks. Hicks was without a doubt the quarterback of the defense. He was given the responsibility of reading defenses and some play calling. He was also the only returning starter in the linebacking crew. The defense had been stout before his injury (granted it was Wyoming and New Mexico), and immediately following his injury we saw the linebacking corps getting torched time and time again. Edmonds had to grow up quick. I observed him consistently not filling the gaps and drastically over pursuing the play which took him out of contention to have any impact at all. This is not a knock on his potential... just a comment on how green he was and the massive blow the defense took when they had no one that could fill Hicks' shoes. This is what I think about when I see the defensive woes and the coaches saying that they are steadily improving... please note that I didn't say they were steadily improving. Nevertheless, our injuries were significant. This causes a different concern for me than X's and O's. In my mind it is possible that we have tremendously knowledgable coaches who know their X's and O's. The concern is a possible systemic problem in why our pipeline seems to get clogs in it lately and we have to rely on so many freshmen and sophomores. I don't fully buy that Mack can't develop players simply because we led the NFL last year in roster players (46). It's not just that they were good recruits. Player development cannot be discounted. So my main concern is the seemingly continual problem of the lack of depth (players who are students of the game rather than just athletes). Hicks was smart, and that made him great. Edmonds's brain hadn't caught up to his feet yet. Hicks was the glue that brought chemistry, and Edmonds was simply not ready for that yet. Maybe this seems to speak to lack of development, but I wonder it's it's something different than that. I'm just trying to see beyond stats... and gruesome Saturday images of our players being eaten alive. Before Diaz is dragged behind a horse out of Austin, I would just want to know more about what he, and Mack, have had to deal with this year. I AM NOT SAYING DIAZ SHOULD STAY OR SUGGESTING THAT HE SHOULD!!! I am simply wondering if it would have been a different defensive story this year if Hicks would not have been injured. I think that killed us. But we also need to be at a point where an injury like that just makes the D adjust and bend as opposed to rolling out the red carpet for the opposition's O. I will also say that no one loss of a single player should have that much impact on an entire unit, but in this case I believe that it did.
With one recruit decommitting to TCU and our top prospect and only DL recruit taking visits the writing is on the wall. We can make a change now, or have another lame duck season with two back to back poor recruiting classes. The only thing accomplished by waiting another year is digging a bigger hole in talent on the team.
@ HPSLUGGA Would you stop posting on this thread..... you're kickin' my ***. I am a realist, though I may be wearing whatever colored glasses in this situation. We'll see.
I was a sunshine pumper. I have awakened. I will never buy another ticket as long as Mack is coaching.
Bitterness has nothing to do with criticism of Mack Brown. He has demonstrated that his personal desires and needs hold greater value to him than the best interests of The University. He has tolerated mediocrity among staff and players for years. In his arrogance and stubborness he refuses to recognize the reality of his shortcomings. My expectation is that The University of Texas will demand excellence across the board. This does not mean that is always achieved, but at a minimum the standards must be high and the effort must match the standards. Accepting a 10 win season as the standard is just plain idiotic. That standard means the goal is satisfied if the team loses three games, an occurrence which all but guarantees Texas will not win the conference, and, accordingly, will not compete for a national championship. Alums and fans should read this once in a while: The mission of The University of Texas at Austin is to achieve excellence in the interrelated areas of undergraduate education, graduate education, research and public service. The university provides superior and comprehensive educational opportunities at the baccalaureate through doctoral and special professional educational levels. The quest for excellence in academics should be mirrored in ALL athletic programs. Under Mack Brown, Deloss Dodds and Chris Plonsky, it is not, plain and simple.
Yet another DKR analogy post. You guys don't get it. I'll make the same points I've made before. DKR was in his early 40s. Mack is over 60. DKR had 10-11 game seasons. Mack has 13 game seasons. If DKR had what Mack has, he'd have 8-5 / 9-4 seasons. He wouldn't have sniffed 5-7. Very importantly, Mack was 2-1 versus OU, Arky, and Aggy during this stretch. Most importantly, he NEVER got embarrassed. I can think of 7-8 embarrassing losses over the last 3 seasons. When you consider close games to KU and giving up 1400 yards to Baylor this season - both in wins - there a dozen terrible performances. There is no apt analogy. Mack is terrible, has lost his mojo, and needs to be put out to pasture immediately. I do not support him. I support his removal in every way humanely possible.
