Many of us on this board were witness to some of the great games you commanded when Mack let you play instead of Chris Simms. Please! I beg you to put someone behind center that isn't afraid to throw a deep post over the middle( like you), light up OU ( like you did with said post pattern again), not fall in love with the bubble screen, have a comeback gene ( like you did. See Colorado, Wash, etc...) and once in a while talk **** to the opposing bench ( like you did). Here's hoping a renewed passion will come out of your leadership and play calling. And yes, we are OK with losing the Statue of Liberty play forever.
If we had a QB next year that led and performed just in the ballpark of EITHER Chris or Major we'd be in contention for the conference.
I love Major and don't think we're skipping a beat without Harsin who I think did a fine job with what we had (or didn't have. OL/QB). The problem is.... the problem isn't Applewhite, Harsin or the offense (though we desperately need OL). It's Mack and Manny. If Mack isn't hauling the cream of the crop in state then really, what's the point of having him? And Manny is a huge question mark. Is he the guy from two years ago or the guy that was to lead Mack's best defense ever this past year? The program is sick.
Those are great memories--Major would just haul off and heave it, regardless where we were on the field. I loved it.
Not the strongest arm, or the best practice player, but Major sure could lay it out there in games. That 97 yard TD to McGarity against OU in '98 is forever etched in my mind. Of course his final game in the 2001 Holiday Bowl, may be the best performance of anyone not named Vince that I have seen.
How about Big 12 Championship 2001 vs CU - after Simms digs us a deep hole, The Major comes in cold and nearly rallies us to vick-tree!
Love Applewhite. Not happy/convinced with his body of work since being a coach, coordinator, etc. There's lots of ugly on his resué. Truth
Just a quick story about "that" Holiday Bowl. I happened to be in St. Thomas USVI during that game and if you know Time Zones, St. Thomas is in the "Atlantic" Time Zone and with that game starting at like 8PM local time in Cali, we were three sheets to the wind with a midnight kickoff island time. Sitting in the hotel bar, I get to know this gentleman who happened to be President of "Programming" for ESPN". In other words, he was the "P" in ESPN. As the game plays out, and the two of us are full court pressing the scotch bottle in front of us, I say to him in my drunk *** southern drawl "If Texas comes back and wins this thing, and when you get back to Bristol, will you, on your honor, make this game an ESPN instant classic" (That was new espn programming in those days). As we watched in amazement the greatness of Major Applewhite, he gazed over to me with head bobbing back and forth and somehow got two words out of his slurring pie hole. He said "Done Texas!". We exchanged business cards, went on our way and about 3 days later I get an email back in Dallas from him saying "look for your game on Wednesday night". I was elated as he most definitely delivered. Oh! The little things we Longhorn Minions get to experience in life!
The 2001 Colorado "comeback" is a bit overrated. Major's first drive he threw a long touchdown pass to BJ Johnson, but after that the offense never put another touchdown on the board until it was too late.
Thanks for refreshing the memory of the Major enthusiasts. They also tend to forget several other games where he had 6 turnovers or got shut out. Having said that, I hope he is wildly successful in his new role --- whatever that actually is.
I know people like to hate on Chris Simms, but our current QB's couldn't carry his clipboard. He was actually a pretty darn good, although I'll never erase that pick to Bad Roy in the 14-3 loss to ou from my mind.
It's fine to uphold the character of Chris Simms - afterall it wasn't his fault that Mack put him in the position of competing vs Major for Fan Favorite. But. Major did more tremendous things, including the Instant Classic Holiday Bowl, and the attempt at trying to bail Mack out of his most ****** up decision ever - NOT BENCHING SIMMS BEFORE HE MADE 5 PICKS in the FIRST HALF VS COLORADO. Major was so solid as a Longhorn QB. Good Luck to him in his new role and may he transform the Offense to an image of his own playing days. Hook'em!!!
Chris Simms was a great player who loved the horns. Those two were both great but in different respects. I dont think it would have played out any different if major was given the majority of snaps.
And where is Simms now? I fully support Applewhite in this new role, and could possibly see him taking over Mack's role. That's just my opinion. I do agree that Diaz needs to go! Doesn't help that we're losing recruits either..... What's the reason behind that??
I haven't been following Simms, and I sure the hell don't follow the Pats! I'm a Cowboy and Texans fan when it comes to NFL. I'm more into college now than the NFL.... Just want Texas to make the best choices/decisions when it come to everything!
"NOT BENCHING SIMMS BEFORE HE MADE 5 PICKS in the FIRST HALF VS COLORADO." I love how history rewrites itself for the haters.
okay, it ws 3 picks and a fumble by Simms. got it confused with Gilbert's 5 in 1st half vs K-St. Either way. Mack was too stubborn to make a change. Hook'em!!!
Courtesy of Burntorangenation.com: First 10 minutes of Big 12 title game Texas Stadium is DKR-North. Burnt Orange is everywhere, and UT fans are rabid. There's no reason not to expect a victory, as Texas beat Colorado, 41-7, earlier in the season in Austin. After Colorado's first series ends in a punt, Texas drives 85 yards in just over two minutes to take an early 7-0 lead on a Cedric Benson TD run. Everyone assumes the rout is on. Colorado runs 8 plays for 8 yards on its next two possessions, and Texas is driving for another score late in the first quarter to send the crowd into a frenzy and for all intents and purposes put the game away when everything changes. Everything. My bad #1 Chris Simms played well in 2001. The Simms-Applewhite debate was over, as Simms started every game that season and no one complained. With a spot in the national championship game now oh-so-close, Simms reputation as the Golden Boy was about to be legitimate. Cue Lee Corso: not so fast. On first down from the Colorado 22, Simms throws an interception to CU linebacker Aaron Killion, who returns it 75 yards to the UT 12. Three plays later, a Chris Brown TD run ties the game. Seemingly on the ropes, Colorado now has life. Texas goes three-and-out on its next possession, and Colorado drives for a go-ahead field goal and a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. My bad #2 Texas' next drive lasts just two plays, as Simms is intercepted for a second time, this time by CU linebacker Joey Johnson. The Buffs take advantage and drive 64 yards for another Brown TD run and a 17-7 lead. Simms shakes that one off to lead the Horns to a field goal, and after Nathan Vasher intercepts a pass on CU's next possession, the Horns appear to be in good shape down just 16-10. The next play proved otherwise. My bad #3 In an image that is burned into the minds of many Texas fans next to that of OU's Roy Williams leaping over the line in the Cotton Bowl, Simms fumbles the ball while being sacked deep in Texas territory. His attempts to avoid the rush are pathetic, and instead of throwing it away he loses control as he's hit and CU recovers at the UT 22. On the next play, Daniel Graham turns a short pass in the flat into a TD and the Buffs lead 22-10. Simms' confidence is gone at this point and the boos start from the crowd. For some reason, Major Applewhite is not warming up. Had Mack gone to Major here, who knows? My bad #4 With just under four minutes left in the first half, Simms needs to lead a scoring drive to quiet the fans and give Texas a shot of momentum going into halftime. Instead, on Texas third play, he is intercepted again, this time by CU safety Medford Moorer. An awful play becomes unfathomable as Moorer returns the pick 64 yards for a touchdown. This may be the most disastrous snap in UT history, as on the same play Cedric Benson and All-American tackle Mike Williams knock each other out of the game when the collide trying to tackle Moorer, while Simms can only watch in horror as Moorer streaks down the sideline into the end zone for a 29-10 CU lead to destroy forever any goodwill Simms had built up over the year. The pro-UT crowd is ready to tear Texas Stadium to the ground, foaming at the mouth for Applewhite to come in. Instead, Mack Brown unbelievably continues to stick with Simms, who enters the field on Texas' next possession to a deafening chorus of boos. You never wish for injury, but ... Simms completes a pass to Sloan Thomas on first down, but injures a finger on the play when his hand hits the helmet of a CU defender. Texas calls timeout to look at it, and finally Applewhite enters the game. Had Simms not "gotten injured," you wonder if he would have ever been benched. I write "gotten injured" like this because I saw Chris do the exact same thing earlier in the season at Missouri. He hit his hand on an opponent's helmet when throwing a pass, Texas called timeout to pop Chris' finger back into place, and he never missed a snap. But against Colorado, thankfully the injury ended Chris' evening. Mack wouldn't take Chris out, so someone upstairs watching through the roof at Texas Stadium had to intervene. Major to the rescue Contrary to legend, Applewhite doesn't throw a 79-yard TD pass on his first play in the game. His first pass is incomplete and almost intercepted. But on his second snap, on a third-and-9 from the CU 21, Applewhite finds B.J. Johnson streaking down the middle of the field wide open and hits him in stride at midfield. As Johnson races untouched to the end zone, Applewhite sprints down the sideline in front of the CU bench, pumping "Hook 'em Horns" the whole way. Game on! CU's final first-half possession leads to no points, and Texas trails 29-17 at halftime. Tension builds Colorado adds to its lead on a TD run by Brown, and Dusty Mangum makes 2-of-3 field goals for Texas as the game enters its final 10 minutes with CU leading 36-23. Then CU coach Gary Barnett tries his best to help the Horns get back into it by calling one of the stupidest plays I have ever seen. Up 13 points with just over 9 minutes to play and facing a fourth-and-4 at the CU 49, Barnett calls for a fake punt throwback pass back across the field. Of course, this duck of a pass is intercepted by UT CB Rod Babers, who returns it 54 yards for a touchdown, bringing UT within 36-30. Game definitely on! At this point, UT's got all the momentum in the world and it looks like the Horns can still reach the promise land in spite of Simms' epic first-half meltdown. Water torture ... All Texas needs to do is force one more CU punt and everyone can pack their bags for Cali. There's seems to be plenty of time, but the Buffs mount a ridiculous 16-play, 7-minute drive that ends in a field goal and puts them up 39-30 with 1:58 to play. The backbreaker on this drive is a roughing the punter penalty on Phillip Geigger that prevents Texas from getting the ball back with three minutes and two timeouts remaining. Too little too late With CU playing basically a prevent defense, leading by 9 points, Applewhite leads a drive for a TD, but by this point there's only 31 seconds remaining and the Horns are out of timeouts. UT's only hope is to recover the onside kick, but Daniel Graham is there for the Buffs. One kneel down later and it's all over as CU wins, 39-37. Epilogue The what ifs continue until this day. What if Chris had missed the bus to the stadium? What if Chris had been benched after first-half turnover number 1, 2 or 3? What if Geigger hadn't rough the punter? Two days later Texas accepts a bid to the Holiday Bowl. Three days later Mack Brown names Applewhite the starter for the game against Washington. In San Diego, Applewhite cements his legacy by throwing for 473 yards in Texas' come-from-behind 47-43 victory. (The Horns trailed 36-17 in the third quarter.) Texas finishes the season 11-2, claiming its first 11-win season since 1983, and finishes the year ranked No. 5 in the final AP poll. Miami crushes Nebraska, 37-14, in the Rose Bowl to win the national championship, while Colorado loses to Oregon, 38-16, in the Fiesta Bowl. On Jan. 13, 2002, high school star Vince Young commits to Texas over Miami, and four years later leads Texas back to the Big 12 title game in 2005, where Colorado is once again the only thing standing in the way of the Horns traveling to the Rose Bowl to play for the national title. Hook'em!!!
I've never understood how some people didn't have enough love in their hearts for two kids, both of whom wore Burnt Orange.
I remember that game like it was yesterday. I had season tickets that year, and was planning to go the the national championship game if Texas won. Course Chris Simms threw a wrench into that. Major comes in and changes the whole complexion of the game. Like the summary above, I remember Texas FINALLY forcing a punt with about 3 min left. I just knew Major was about to win the game for us. It was a done deal. But we run into the punter (how can u do that in that situation), and that's ballgame. Exciting game. Depressing ending.
My favorite Major game was 1998 in Nebraska. The 3rd down and long conversion to Bryan White - throwing the ball a split second before he gets hit - was huge. The 3rd quarter bomb, completed again to White. The fluttering, against the grain TD pass to McGarity - as he's rolling right out of the pocket - just before a Cornhusker clobbers him up high......just epic stuff, man.
This arguement is indeed old. Comments like "Where is Simms now?" Where was Applewhite when Simms was playing in the NFL? Both had their good and bad games. Simms against Colorado and Applewhite against Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl and other games both good and bad. Let it go. The reason it has heated up again is because Major is here again as a coach.
