From Hookem.com: In addition to preparing for an Oklahoma State team that is set to meet Baylor this weekend, Texas (2-1) will attempt to cure some of its ails. Those problems, of course, begin with a much-maligned defense: Of the 128 FBS teams, Texas ranks in a tie for 105th in scoring defense (34.7 ppg) and a tie for 70th in yards allowed (386.3 ypg). No team has forced fewer turnovers than Texas, which has only had DeShon Elliott’s fumble recovery against UTEP. Texas has already allowed a team to top 200 rushing yards (Notre Dame) and to pass for nearly 400 yards (Cal). Texas entered this bye week with one of the nation’s top scoring offenses (44.7 ppg) and total offenses (500.3 ypg), and D’Onta Foreman and Chris Warren III were the top two rushers in the Big 12. Not that the offense got to take this week off. The Longhorns are tied for 65th in third-down conversions, and the team had faced the nation’s 94th-, 117th- and 119th-rated scoring defenses. (Texas is responsible for the season-high score for only one of those defenses.) OUCH!!! If the defense does not stand up this weekend, Charlie either makes a change or signs his walking papers....There's no other way to look at this.
Charlie has tied his wagon to Bedford. He either really has faith in him, or he has Fenves' blessing to bury the program under a rock and doesn't give a flip how we end up this season.
That scoring defense is even worse than the 1997 Texas team so far (33.3 ppg). Record: 4-7 (75th of 112) (Schedule & Results) Conference Record: 2-6 Coach: John Mackovic (4-7) Points For: 283 Points/G: 25.7 (56th of 112) Points Against: 366 Opp Pts/G: 33.3 (96th of 112) We went 2-1 that year and then lost badly to Oklahoma State in Stillwater to start the slide. The only two victories left were against OU and Kansas. In 1998 we went 9-3 with a new coach. I hope we aren't looking at something similar this year (except for the OU part).
For #1, I'm not sure why I was so optimistic about the defense heading into 2016. It's almost akin to A&M puffing their chests out when they'd bring back 8 D guys or whatever each year from about 1995 until they left the Big 12. It doesn't matter IF you bring back guys... it's a matter of how well the guys you bring back play. The DBs have been drowning in a scheme plagued by miscommunication. The LBs overrun many plays. There just isn't a push, which leads to... #2: No pass rush, no turnovers. That's about it. One thing you could count on when Vasher was back there getting his 17 picks (or whatever it ended up being throughout his career) was Cory Redding in some poor QB's face, forcing an errant pass. Or Derrick Johnson stripping the ball. Or, eventually, the DEs from 2004-09 like Robison and Kindle and Houston in the backfield. Hell, even Jeffcoat had his opportunities back there. Now? No pass rush, no turnovers. You have to make the opponent nervous and antsy enough to make mistakes. For #3, I don't even think that's the worst we could do. Tech put 665 yards on us last year, and I don't expect them to come off the gas in Lubbock. We can't keep living in a "fix it later" mode on D. If Bedford keeps putting up performances like last week's, a change will be made. It could be Charlie admitting he was bullheaded to keep Vance on for so long, or it could be Strong handed his walking papers.
and it took one flukish play for Tech to beat Texas last year. Tech has zero, repeat zero, defense. They could put 800 yards on the Texas defense, and Texas would still win by at least 2 TD's.
They were already leading when they ran their hide-the-midget play. Without it they still likely keep the ball away from us for a while and possibly score anyway.
Well, I made the comparison to 1997 earlier on this thread and that's the last time we lost in Stillwater. I'm not sure who we will beat this year outside of Kansas and even that might be tough. This is a legit 4 win season. This Texas defense sucks worse than any I have seen.
