2011 Texas Longhorns Football Preview

Holy John Mackovic - what happened last year in Austin, Texas? That’s the question everyone in a proud state’s capital city is asking. The question that closely follows such an anguished query is this: Will the boys of Bevo get off the deck and return to their customary place of prominence in 2011?

It’s undeniable that while Michigan, USC, Penn State, Notre Dame, and other high-profile football outfits fight to get back to the upper echelon of the college football world, the most scrutinized team in the sport this season will be the Texas Longhorns. Just how will this proud program rebound from a bowl-less season, a sub-.500 campaign that left the Lone Star State in a state of utter disbelief? Yes, the 2010 season was not expected to be a dominant one for the guys in Burnt Orange, but it wasn’t supposed to witness a full-fledged fall-off-the-cliff nightmare. That 12-game trail of tears represented an historic letdown, a miserable journey that couldn’t end soon enough. For the first time since 1997, the Longhorns were under .500 and failed to finish in the top 25. Just a year removed from competing in the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama, Texas plunged out of the 70-team pool of bowl participants… that’s how bad the Horns were (keep in mind that a few teams with winning records, such as 8-4 Temple, didn’t even make a bowl game). On the heels of nine straight double-digit-win seasons, the 2010 campaign ambushed anyone and everyone who chronicles college pigskin on a regular basis.

The quarterback play of Garrett Gilbert was a thorn in the side of the Texas community all season long. In his first year as a starter, Gilbert threw 17 interceptions, compared to only 10 touchdown passes. Yes, Texas had injury problems up front, especially on the right side of its offensive line, but with that having been said, a school such as Texas should have skill people who are resourceful enough to make a reasonable share of big plays on fall Saturdays. Gilbert was relatively impotent, and what hurts even more is that he did not become a noticeably wiser signal caller as the season went along. Indeed, the problem in Texas was that while injuries definitely limited coach Mack Brown’s options, the players who took to the field at a blue-chip program were not developed at a level most football watchers would normally expect. Player development at the University of Texas should be a core strength of the program, but it was missing from the 2010 equation. The lack of growth throughout the roster, made plain by a woeful November crash, revealed a coaching staff – especially on the offensive side of the ball – that was not particularly agile. As a result of the 2010 train-wreck, Brown fired longtime offensive coordinator Greg Davis.

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In 2011, Gilbert is in the midst of a three-way competition for the starting job. None of the three have separated themselves, although one has to think Gilbert has the upper hand. Connor Wood and Case McCoy have August camp in which to make an impression. Mike Davis may very well be poised for a breakout season at receiver. Marquise Goodwin is a speedster that makes plays. If the Longhorns can get a consistent running game going, they certainly have options on the outside. Seven offensive starters are back this season. The Longhorns will have new co-offensive coordinators to guide them in 2011. Bryan Harsin, who had coached at Boise State for ten years, will join former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite in coaching duties. The innovative Harsin could make a huge difference for the Longhorns.  He certainly promises to diversify the playbook more than Davis did. The offensive staff received a significant upgrade; it would be hard to arrive at a different conclusion.

The defense, which was shredded against both Kansas State and Oklahoma State last season, also returns seven starters. The Longhorns certainly have the talent to play with anyone in the country. Linebackers Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho are as good as you’ll find in college football. Blake Gideon, now a senior, will be looking to make plays in the secondary. With defensive coordinator Will Muschamp gone to Florida, Manny Diaz takes the reins of a Texas defense that desperately wants to get back to playing at an elite level; it was okay last year (the offense sabotaged the team), but okay isn’t supposed to cut it at Texas. An aggressive style is sure to follow, but can Texas get back to greatness? The schedule should provide some good barometers for the Longhorns at various points along the way. A week two home game with upstart BYU may be a good indicator of Texas’ stature in 2011. The Longhorns travel to UCLA in week three with revenge on their minds after last year’s 34-12 humiliation at the hands of the Bruins. Back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in mid-October will be the keys to the conference season. Road games against Missouri and Texas A&M in November will be difficult.