Thought this might stir some thoughts and maybe other "nominations" or entries. Plus I was getting tired of myself and the rap discussion on the Todd Dodge thread lol Texas Football: The biggest 'what ifs' in recent memory
I concur with the observation regarding Colt in the game against Alabama. I'm convinced Texas would have won if Colt has played. What would that have meant for following seasons? Who knows!
Agree with HHD - Texas would have won going away. The corollary is would Saban have taken the Texas job if not for the interference? What if a proven HC would have been hired instead of Strong? How good would Ash have been but for the concussions?
2006: If Vince returns for his senior season, Texas might've been good enough for a national championship, and most likely a conference championship. Vince could've also won the Heisman. 2008: If Gideon catches the interception at Tech or if Texas gets voted into the Big 12 Championship instead of OU, I give Texas a 50-50 shot against Florida for the national championship. With a conference championship and a national title game appearance, Colt probably wins the Heisman instead of Sam Bradford. 2009: If Colt doesn't get hurt, Texas wins. Beginning in 2005, best case scenario could've been a run of 4 national titles in 5 years, plus two Heismans, if three things went differently.
Maybe Sark can finish the job? Texas should have had 2 Natties under Mack Brown! That is true. Beyond that appears wishful thinking but. I like it.
If Vince would've stayed and Ramonce could've stayed out of trouble... 1984 Cotton Bowl, if Craig Curry hadn't muffed that punt late in the 4th qtr...
That hurts every time someone brings it up. It is worse than Gideon's drop because Curry didn't have to do anything except stay out of the way.
This one for the 00s. Too many things have to change to make the 2010s exciting. What if Charlie Strong didn't suck, what if MB retired after winning the 2009 title, etc
Of course, you have the what if of Saban amid Mack's departure. I think the what if the author included regarding TH staying is a real interesting one.... Of course, the sociopolitical stuff torpedoed any chance of that and thats all people will remember...but I do wonder...
Elliott and Jefferson should have stayed for 2018. Hill didn't have a choice. I honestly don't know how much of a difference it would have made, because Gary Johnson was very good at LB, while Jefferson was kind of "meh" compared to his expectations. I'm not as sold about the national championship win as everyone else. We couldn't stop the run in the 2nd quarter. I have no doubt the final score would be closer, but we also probably wouldn't have needed Shipley to bail out the offense like he did to keep it close. I know where this board sits on TH. I think 2021 would have played out about the same as it did with Sark. I think Josh Moore would have gotten more of a fighting chance to be a WR star, and it wouldn't have helped us much in the end. Casey definitely would have gotten the nod over Card for Game 1. But if he still hurts his thumb against OU and if Bijan still breaks his collarbone, I'm thinking 6-6 would be the ceiling. Jerrod Heard should have been a WR from Day 1 but was pressed into QB service because of depth. Kind of torn on Buechele. He had moments of promise in 2016, but really nothing of significance the following season. Just kind of blah. Had he beaten out Sam, I think 2018 goes very differently.
Craig Curry, vs Georgia Mike wacker's knee injury took us from being a legit top 5 team to a .500 swc unit. No depth, or very little of it Terry Salazar tearing a hammy stretching to retrieve a throw from gardenhire to end an inning in the CWS 1979. Clean up hitter out of the lineup, best defensive first baseman in the nation, gone. Really hurt. Gleaton was a possible replacement in the elimination game given his bat but we couldn't chance it since he could have been called on to pitch, thus losing the DH slot. Went from the best college team I ever saw to losing in the round of 4. We were breezing until that happened
1982 CWS. We were in great shape, beating wichita state. Calvin Schiraldi beans a wsu hitter, guy is legitimately hurt. You could see Calvin was rattled. Wsu guys are on the top step, all over Calvin from then on. Blew the lead, another title lost Still, Calvin is one of my all time favorite Longhorns. Good guy, real good pitcher
H2RA, I would submit that Calvin was a great pitcher, but he never overcame that one pitch. Baseball America did an article on the best prospects in the minor leagues, and the Indians considered Schiraldi their best prospect in their entire farm system
