The Fake Lonnie Finch

Texas has been passed by several schools. In the Big 12, currently, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma are ahead of them in the pecking order. In 2010, Texas was 2-6 in the Big 12...only Kansas at 1-7 was worse In 2011, Texas was 4-5, finishing behind Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma, and Missouri In 2012, Texas was 5-4, finishing even with Oklahoma State, and behind Kansas State and Oklahoma In 2013, Texas was 7-2, finishing even with Oklahoma and Okahoma State, and behind Baylor. The 2013 record is a joke because the Big 12 officials gave them the Iowa State game...and, they struggled mightly against a horrible West Virginia squad, having to go to overtime to squeeze that one out. They have nothing coming back at QB, will have a new head coach, and lose many of their best defensive players to graduation. So, no matter whom they hire, 2014 will likey have them in the middle of the Big 12 pack, hoping for Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and all else ahead of them to have brain fart-type losses to keep them from getting too far ahead of them too soon. Again, like the UT grad who wrote the piece says, money can buy some things - good football isn't always one of them.

You realize that Colt McCoy went out on Texas' first drive, right? Alabama had exactly one drive before that. So, there are no other drives to discuss. At halftime, Bama was up 24-6 and running Texas into the ground. Texas' OL paved the way for a measly 81 yards on the ground, couldn't protect McCoy for even one complete series, and were abused to the tune of Alabama forcing five turnovers. Up 24-6 at half, Bama called exactly two pass plays in the third quarter. Saban was packing it away. Once Bama missed a FG early in the fourth and Texas scored again, Bama's defense forced a quick fumble and interceptions, and followed them with rushing TDs. Bama had not one, but two 100+ yard rushers and only threw the ball 11 times. Their defense rose when needed. And, they left Texas behind like a little girl's old rag doll.

So, because they didn't score on one drive...? Nevermind.

I didn't say it, the UT grad who wrote the story said it. :-) Guess that's the way the fans and grads feel about 8-4 seasons. Three 8 wins seasons in a row here would get the stadium named after the coach!

It should be noted that both of Saban's 60+ point game came in one season, 2010. So, he's had one season out of 18 where his teams have put 60+ on another school. There really is no argument: Saban calls off the dog. He called off the dogs against Texas during that national title game five seasons ago. Hurrah to Texas for taking advantage of it. But, when Saban put the keys back in the car and started it, his charges went ahead and finished the job.

In one of the Brown threads, someone raised the absurd notion that Texas would have beaten Alabama with Colt McCoy. Unless Colt was also going to play DT, MLB, or SS, it was evident that Alabama was going to have its way with Texas' defense that night. So, McCoy, had he stayed healthy, would have had a front row seat for the beating, but nothing more. I mentioned, as I always do about Saban, that he isn't in it to embarass the other team. Once his charges have a game under control, he calls church and puts in backups. In Dodge's game there with us, Saban had a backup QB in the game before halftime. In that regard, Saban is, as the numbers bear out, a wholly different type of coach than Mack Brown and his main Big 12 nemesis, Bob Stoops. We have faced all three. Brown's teams have hung 60+ on us; Stoops gave us the 79-10 beating of a lifetime. To think that Saban's Bama squads couldn't have also put 60- or 70+ on us is as much a fantasy as thinking Texas could have beat Alabama with Colt McCoy in the game. Many people don't like Nick Saban for one reason or another. I love him because he does what needs to be done to win consistently - run the ball, stop the run, and play well on special teams. He is not in the game to set offensive record, push kids for the Heisman Trophy, or settle scores with other coaches or programs. The man went out of this way to say nice things about our program when Todd Dodge was the coach. In short, he has class that most coaches will never have. Is he a hard ass? Probably. But, after hearing the same questions over and over again for decades, you'd get short with the press as well. But, to me, what his teams do on the field during games they obviously havea game in hand says more to me about him than whether some pencil neck geek in the front row is asking him stupid questions like why they didn't register any sacks against North Texas. Anyway, here are the numbers for Saban, Brown, and Stoops. I think it's evident from the number of national titles won that Saban's approach has been far better than Brown or Stoops - win the game, shut it down, get some young players some real game time, go home and prepare for next week. Saban, 18 seasons: 165-56-1 / 4 national titles 70+ points: 0 60+ points: 2 (.009% of all games coached, 1.2% of all wins) 50+ points: 15 (7% of all games coached, 9% of all wins) Brown, 30 seasons: 244-121-1 / 1 national title 70+ points: 1 60+ points: 14 (4% of all games coached, 6% of all wins) 50+ points: 53 (14% of all games coached, 22% of all wins) Stoops, 15 seasons: 159-39-0 / 1 national title 70+ points: 2 60+ points: 19 (9.5% of all games coached, 12% of all wins) 50+ points: 43 (22% of all games coached, 27% of all wins)

Good hire. Was Co-DC at Wisconsin. Like defensive-minded hires.

Not really. Saban doesn't pour it on the way other coaches do. You won't find Alabama dropping 60-70 points on an opponents just because they can. Folks like Bob Stoops...they enjoy it...ask 2003 Texas A&M (77-0), 2007 North Texas (79-10), or several Mack Brown coached Texas teams. As memory serves, Stoops dropped 60+ on Mack . The truth is, Texas was in for a butt kicking no matter who played QB that night because they couldn't stop the run. So, unless Colt was going to play DT, MLB, or SS, Texas was going to get run out of the stadium.

http://kdhnews.com/sports/college/ut/longhorn-football-inc-no-different-than-other-corporate-titans/article_443cbe26-655a-11e3-b698-0019bb30f31a.html Article from a UT grad: "Money may buy a lot of jerseys, hats and better season tickets, but it does not buy the services of the best coach in the country. Texas should be proud of the pristine football stadium and LHN deal, but until accountability becomes more important than accounting, the Longhorns football team will be an also-ran in the conference and state." This is the story of Michigan and Notre Dame as well. It must be difficult for old timers to believe Notre Dame hasn't won a national title since 1988. And, Michigan has only has one since since 1948...and that one, in 1997, was split with Nebraska.

Happens all the time, and at all levels of competition. Not long ago, Southern Miss and East Carolina ran off the most successful coaches they'd ever had. Fans are easily spoiled. Bama fans will be ready to run Saban off if his squad ever dares finish only 8-4 for a couple of seasons. OU, Stoops. Any of them. Clemson did it to Tommy Bowden...and, he'd never so much as had a losing season. Ever. With either Clemson or Tulane. Georgia fans have been trying to run Mark Richt for years. Auburn pitched Tommy Tuberville...despite his 7-3 record in the Iron Bowl. Jeff Tedford delivered some of the best football ever at Cal and got run. Joe Tiller took Purdue to their first Rose Bowl/Big Ten title since 1966, and was run off after crafting 10 winning seasons in 12 years. There will be people on this board ready to pitch McCarney overboard next season if we don't qualify for a bowl.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/cateyhill/2012/05/30/11-riskiest-dog-breeds-for-homeowners-and-renters/

Which is why I've said just drop the charade and have the NFL have an amateur/high school draft and use the schools those drafted players attend as minor leagues.

Agree. Because of NCAA, I haven't said anything to either family about UNT or where they are going...which drives my wife crazy because she knows I follow football so much. But... ...he's a good kid and I am hoping he's on our radar at least as a walk-on. Kickers, as we know well, are streaky (ask Nick Saban as well!), so it never hurts to have options there. We were darn fortunate to have a kid behind Olen this year.

http://www.mcintoshweb.com/TDC/Seniors.htm - Picture of him and his mom...part of the Allen mom's football thingy http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=208799129

The clips of that "insurance policy" look better than those already in the fold. Just my opinion. Again, we offered him out of high school, as did Arkansas' offensive coordinator who was newly hired at UAB. First kid he offered. There's something to this kid. Hope he signs with us.

And, so here is what I'd like to see in the future: A Super Bowl of the 5 Monopoly's champion versus the 6 Others champion. They said the AFL would never beat or compete with the NFL. Okay. Let's have the presidents, athletic directors, and coach of the 6 Other conference get the nuts to tell the 5 Monopoly, "Screw you...we'll play you once a year - your champion versus ours."

This is where I am with it as well. The facts are ugly, but must be faced: NCAA will disappear. Big Ten commish was on last weekend scolding smaller college for hanging on, basically saying they (the 5 Monopoly Conferences) would be forced to separate from the NCAA and do their own thing. It's pathetic. It's also part of the reason why I've said before that they should just drop the charade and make those conferences a minor league to the NFL. Have the NFL draft for the rights to players coming out of high school, like in baseball. NFL teams could trade rights depending on how a kid's college career is going. They could give them bonus money to pay for school expenses. That would get around the ugliness of schools paying the players. Also, it would give some financial stability to a group of athletes who really tear their body up at a young age so that colleges (and their coaches) and networks and advetisers can make millions, now billions, off of them. Baseball players coming out of high school can get a pretty good chuck of cash, even if they are drafted in late rounds and only play a couple of seasons in the minors. It's an ugly thing going on. And, at the heart of it is money. It is, of course, the height of hypocrisy that so many conferences can participate in March Madness for basketball - and every other amatuer college sport - but football is closed off. But, no one will do anything about it. For our part, I simply hope those schools not in the 5 Monopolies will simply stop scheduling them. Next year will be the 30th anniversary of Oklahoma and Georgia kicking this whole thing off by winning their antitrust lawsuit agianst the NCAA over television rights. In the 30 years hence, it's transitioned from the NCAA picking the games to be televised to: (1) the CFA, to (2) Notre Dame getting their own TV deal, to (3) Conferences negotiating their own television contracts, to (4) the Bowl Alliance, to (5) the BCS, to (6) the Big Ten starting a network, to (7) Texas starting a network...and, (8) it will end within the next 18 to 24 months with the 5 Monopolies leaving the NCAA. We were mired in I-AA during (1) - (4), stuck with bad facilities and lack of funds/interest during most of (5) and (6). By (7), we had our new stadium up. But, we will already be too late to participate in (8). It doesn't matter to me. You look at the circus going on between Texas and Alabama over a football coach, the circus of the USC and Miami player pay schemes, and Penn State ignoring a child molesting assistant...and, it kind of makes me feel decent about not being there.

Answer was provided above - he walked-on at OU. No offers. All high school highlight are him playing LB and on special teams: http://www.ncsasports.org/football-recruiting/tx/allen/allen-high-school/cody-barrow Doesn't tackle runners head on or stop them; they all fall forward. Not sure why OU would list him as an WR...unless they just needed more WRs on their scout team.

Last week, I posted in the footbal section that I would like to have a JUCO brought in for competition; so, I'm glad we offered. UAB is not a good football school. When they hired Garrick McGee from Arkansas, this was the first kid he offered a scholarship. That makes me believe he was probably on the Razorbacks' radar as a player they might offer in a pinch on signing day, or might invite as a walk-on. Either way, I don't think there is a clear cut favorite for 2014 QB currently on our roster. McNulty has the most experience. Berglund has none. And, Dajon has a tiny sample and seemingly the most upside. With Berglund having no experience, Dajon having just a taste, and having already seen a bit of what McNulty can do, I think it would be wise to get one other guy with some kind of college snaps in here for spring. it cannot hurt and might help.

Yes. We only have 3 of the 12 commits total on either line: 1 OL, 1 DE, and 1 DT. Not great. You build long term success from the inside out, not the outside in. If you can't run or stop the run, you...have many, many years of losing seasons.

Dude, the people complaining here...it's amazing. We complained about the coaching - a new one was hired We complained about the stadium - a new one was delivered We complained about attendance - a new record was set We complained about parking and walking - a bridge over the freaking highway was built We complained about tailgating - a nice hill and alumni center were provided We complained about uniforms - they were changed back to Green, and this year we had TWO additional special uniforms, a throwback and a black We complained about the wide receivers' playmaking ability beyond Brelan Chancellor - the receivers stepped it up We complained about the size and depth of the defensive line - the defensive line stepped it up We complained about the quarterbacking - the quarterback broke almost every I-A/FBS passing record in the school's record book Now, we are going bowl for the first time in nine years...and, all people want to do is complain about the opponent? Good grief! As I've said before, it would surprise me 0% if either McCarney or Villareal left this place. Rick, who I openly criticized in the past, just as much as everyone else, has more than answered the bell. And, so have McCarney. Both have far exceeded anything I ever dreamed of for this program. And, look, sue me for not dreaming of us being national title contenders yet. What I wanted was better facilities, better coaching, and a competitive mid-major program. We now have all that. The bounty will increase in time. But, for pete's sake, just be happy right now for what we have! I mean, we are in a New Year's Day bowl game, for crying out loud! (It was hard for me not to cuss while typing this...but, I'm starting my New Year's resolution to cuss less early.)

Derek Thompson had better statistics in his college career than Case McCoy. Who would have thought that four years ago? What if Thompson had been at UT and McCoy here? Just look at that Texas squad. Those seniors are the class UT signed after Alabama rode roughshod over them in the national title game for the 2009 season. They graduate with no conference titles. No even a shared one. No one could have predicted that. No one. And, Mack Brown on the ropes. And, yet, the Big 12 is so mediocre a three-loss Texas squad went into today's game with a chance to win the conference title. Pathetic.

Not just the defense that has spoiled us. I think there are many who will realize they were spoiled by having an experienced QB...espeically with all the new faces we'll see at the skill positions next season. I love me some Dan McCarney. But, as posted elsewhere, he and his staff have their work cut out for them losing the skill players they'll lose on offense, plus six of the front seven on defense. I criticized Todd Dodge for many things while he was here. But, his last two recruiting classes were a good foundation for this season. Next season, we will discover whether four seasons of McCarney signees are the type that "reload" or "rebuild." I hope it's "reload"...but, only time will tell.