New TEXAS Coach

[VideoEagle]

What do you think the line will be?

Regarding those games you stuck in your edit, for us to beat them would obviously be a much bigger upset.

The line is supposed to get an equal number of bets on both sides of the proposition. It has nothing at all to do with the actual score, just what those who set the line think people will need to see to be willing to bet equally on both sides.

That said and considering the number of UT fans who will be on their team no matter what, it will take a very large link to even the bets out.

I'm thinking UT - 28 is a reasonable opening line.

Edited January 6, 2014 by VideoEagle

[meangreener]

I think it will be a little more, but the point stands. A 17-point spread is not a matchup of peers.

I never said we were peers.

To be honest, I hope we never are.

However, there's a ballpark shot...no herculean feat. Not much film on whoever our QB is, and UT settling into a new offense and defense. Prime upset time. Maybe I'm wrong and we lose by 40 and the T-sip fans on here get really excited.

I do THINK we can win. I will be happy if we remain within 2 touchdowns in a close game (a la Georgia.)

Edited January 6, 2014 by meangreener

[emmitt01]

Clearly we should abandon all thoughts of beating that juggernaut in Austin.

After all, in the last 43 years they have one more national title than we do.

[Mean Green 93-98]

The line is supposed to get an equal number of bets on both sides of the proposition. It has nothing at all to do with the actual score, just what those who set the line think people will need to see to be willing to bet equally on both sides.

Of course it has nothing to do with the actual score. The actual score happens when the game is played. The line just has to do with people betting on what they think the actual score will be.

But bettors, college football prognosticators, whoever's opinion you want to consider. . . . they'll all have us as a major underdog.

[ColoradoEagle]

This is not us going against Alabama. We'll have to do better than we did in Athens this year, but this is a team that's now tasted success instead of just believing in it like the team that went to Georgia.

The talk of this being an 'unwinnable' game is ridiculous. "Big" teams get beat every year by FCS schools, let alone FBS. Charlie Strong is not Superman. All you have to do is look at bad losses last year to UConn and Syracuse to confirm that.

[Mean Green 93-98]

However, there's a ballpark shot...no herculean feat. Not much film on whoever our QB is, and UT settling into a new offense and defense. Prime upset time. Maybe I'm wrong and we lose by 40 and the T-sip fans on here get really excited.

I do THINK we can win. I will be happy if we remain within 2 touchdowns in a close game (a la Georgia.)

Sure, there's a ballpark shot. But beating anybody we would be happy to remain 2 TDs within would be a Herculean feat.

[meangreener]

This is not us going against Alabama. We'll have to do better than we did in Athens this year, but this is a team that's now tasted success instead of just believing in it like the team that went to Georgia.

The talk of this being an 'unwinnable' game is ridiculous. "Big" teams get beat every year by FCS schools, let alone FBS. Charlie Strong is not Superman. All you have to do is look at bad losses last year to UConn and Syracuse to confirm that.

Exactly this.

[Mean Green 93-98]

The talk of this being an 'unwinnable' game is ridiculous.

Just curious . . . where is this talk you speak of?

[filmerj]

I think we have a lot of question marks on our team to feel overly confident. Strong is being severely underrated. Anything is possible. Can we win sure, but it most certainly won't be easy. I don't think we should be buying out of anything. Doing so sends the wrong message to players and fans.

Edited January 6, 2014 by filmerj

[ColoradoEagle]

Just curious . . . where is this talk you speak of?

The Fake Lonnie Finch, on 06 Jan 2014 - 12:01 PM, said:

If anyone should be buying out of that game, it should be us so that we can open at home against a beatable opponent. Texas coached by Charlie Strong is not a winnable game. Sorry.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Definitely an overstatement, but probably an overreaction against equally ridiculous talk that Texas is afraid of us and would want to reschedule to avoid playing us.

[meangreener]

Definitely an overstatement, but probably an overreaction against equally ridiculous talk that Texas is afraid of us and would want to reschedule to avoid playing us.

Why does TCU dodge us, then?

These schools know that losing to an in-state team widely seen as "low FBS" is near program suicide.

[GOMG2013]

Definitely an overstatement, but probably an overreaction against equally ridiculous talk that Texas is afraid of us and would want to reschedule to avoid playing us.

Dont know how my comments turned into UT being scared of us. Teams get rescheduled all the time. Texas will be favored and ranked higher no doubt. But we are not the cupcake they originally scheduled was the point.

Even if they felt they would still beat us, im sure they wanted that first game to be easy as possible. If not, then why did they schedule a team that didnt have a winning record in so long.

And Texas is no better than Georgia. some of you had more confidence that a 2-1 team had a better shot at giving Georgia a run for thier money. Vince young isnt walking through that door.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I'm going to throw up with all the UT love. See some of y'all haven't shed your love for the T-sips. Give me a break. UT gets upset in a "herculean feat" every single damn year.

Let's see: 2013 they lost to BYU

2012 they lost to TCU

2010 they lost to UCLA and Iowa State

And...Mack Brown was the coach, Manny Diaz the DC. Those two are gone.

And, it's not UT love, it's the reality that they just hired one of the best defensive minds in football. Texas was spinning it's (very expensive) wheels under Brown because everyone there was comfortable.

New coaches, and especially defensive hard-asses like Strong, do not let players - or, assistants - get comfortable.

Texas already has heaps and gobs of talent. They now have a coach that will be preparing for football games instead of gladhandling golfers, dopesmokers, and billionaires. They should keep Mack on as Gladhandler in Chief and stay out of Strong's way.

Edited January 6, 2014 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[BillySee58]

Georgia had a preseason first-team all SEC qb to pull away from us. Texas has a much maligned and often injured David Ash as well as Tyrone Swoopes who completed just 38% of his passes this year. Difference is we don't have those seniors like Brelan and Zach Orr. However, if we can keep it close early and get a rhythm going on offense without turning the ball over much then I think we'll keep it close until the end this time. Of course they aren't scared of us, but we aren't scared of them. Of course they will be favored and will likely win, but this in not an unwinnable game.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Georgia had a preseason first-team all SEC qb to pull away from us. Texas has a much maligned and often injured David Ash as well as Tyrone Swoopes who completed just 38% of his passes this year. Difference is we don't have those seniors like Brelan and Zach Orr. However, if we can keep it close early and get a rhythm going on offense without turning the ball over much then I think we'll keep it close until the end this time. Of course they aren't scared of us, but we aren't scared of them. Of course they will be favored and will likely win, but this in not an unwinnable game.

Man, I hope Wallace turns out to be great, because this is the type of game in which he will be off the chain. UT offered him.

[GOMG2013]

And...Mack Brown was the coach, Manny Diaz the DC. Those two are gone.

And, it's not UT love, it's the reality that they just hired one of the best defensive minds in football. Texas was spinning it's (very expensive) wheels under Brown because everyone there was comfortable.

New coaches, and especially defensive hard-asses like Strong, do not let players - or, assistants - get comfortable.

Texas already has heaps and gobs of talent. They now have a coach that will be preparing for football games instead of gladhandling golfers, dopesmokers, and billionaires. They should keep Mack on as Gladhandler in Chief and stay out of Strong's way.

I think strong is going to be good for UT. All those negatives you said about Mac brown has to be undone by strong. they have lots of talent. How many mistakes have been made. Talent for what type of system? The defense will improve, but there's no teddy Bridgwater over there.

Are they going to be a running team? We fared pretty well against the run and skladany is going to have safeties coming up.

We have a better shot going into UT than we had against Georgia. We are not the cupcake they originally scheduled.

[MeanGreenTexan]

I think strong is going to be good for UT. All those negatives you said about Mac brown has to be undone by strong. they have lots of talent. How many mistakes have been made. Talent for what type of system? The defense will improve, but there's no teddy Bridgwater over there.

Are they going to be a running team? We fared pretty well against the run and skladany is going to have safeties coming up.

We have a better shot going into UT than we had against Georgia. We are not the cupcake they originally scheduled.

UT's running game is going to be just as strong, if not a little stronger than GA's. However, UT doesn't have an Aaron Murray to throw the ball.

I really think this year's team could give UT fits next year. But, just like their variables, we're going to have a ton as well, sans probably the most important unit on the field, O-Line.

[BillySee58]

Man, I hope Wallace turns out to be great, because this is the type of game in which he will be off the chain. UT offered him.

I'd imagine Darius Terrell, who came on a little at the end of the year, will be playing with a chip on his shoulder as well. Playing with plenty of emotion will not be a problem.

[mccox2]

The UNT program is in a much better place now than it was when the schools agreed to play each other. UT is going to be rebuilding under Charlie Strong's and his assistant's philosophies and schemes this upcoming semester. The new coaching staff only has a certain number of days in the spring semester to evaluate each player, teach their schemes, implement a depth chart of their own, find a chemistry on defense, offense, and special teams, and weed players into and out of multiple positions. There's going to be some players who might transfer, quit, or get kicked off the team while transitioning. Then summer comes around and then they report back toward the end of summer and have to learn/relearn/tweak their depth chart even more to become cohesive. UT is going to be really great and a national contender down the road but they're not going to be complete and flawless in game one where they will use UNT as a punching bag. It's a process. I just know that if UNT is to compete and beat UT the best chance would be the first game of the season where UT will "test" the chemistry of their starters in Charlie Strong's system with an unproven quarterback. I know we have question marks of our own but we'll be using this offseason not "meet and greet" the coaching staff but instead filling in positions through competition in a stable system in an upcoming program.

[greenminer]

Fake is giving a lot of credit to Strong being the missing piece to an immediate turnaround.

I think it's an unknown. He didn't come out of the gates at Louisville firing on all cylinders. They were 7-6 in 2010 and 2011. We have no idea how much is in disarray in Austin nor how long it will take him to fix it.

I have my doubts that this is something he can get going from day 1. They are not 2013 Georgia talent. They would not pull away from us like Brian Girley did in the 4th quarter. I think Ball State could have beaten them this year, and I think this is our best shot at them. Ever.

[Cerebus]

Fake is giving a lot of credit to Strong being the missing piece to an immediate turnaround.

I think it's an unknown.

Agreed.

I am not calling for the upset, I am not saying all those athletes UT recruited over the years are just going to forget how to play football, but I do think that UT's main problem is a culture problem.

Those guys are told their the best and then pampered the minute they step on campus. Why struggle to make the big time when it seems you already did? I think Strong is the perfect coach to fix that, but it will take time. Mac had a culture problem here at UNT, and it took him a while to fix it.

We'll still be 20 point under dogs next year, but this game isn't unwinnable.

[meangreener]

Agreed.

I am not calling for the upset, I am not saying all those athletes UT recruited over the years are just going to forget how to play football, but I do think that UT's main problem is a culture problem.

Those guys are told their the best and then pampered the minute they step on campus. Why struggle to make the big time when it seems you already did? I think Strong is the perfect coach to fix that, but it will take time. Mac had a culture problem here at UNT, and it took him a while to fix it.

We'll still be 20 point under dogs next year, but this game isn't unwinnable.

Exactly this.

[TIgreen01]

This game isn't unwinnable until you factor back in the refs....then it totally is. I say that with a smirk, but I honestly don't think any team in any sport gets more homer calls than UT-Austin football at home. Maybe it's tougher for them to pull the crap that they used to pull with all the advancements in instant replay coupled with all games being aired on television with round the clock twitter updates and television replays....but even then we still get games like the Wisconsin-Arizona St game from last fall.

Realistically, Strong is a good football hire for any school. But Texas, and their entitled fanbase, is going to expect less than 2 losses and/or title contention within a year. That isn't going to happen until he finds a QB. He still has time to land one before February, but it's unlikely this year (and no, I'm not one who sees Heard as that answer). If we hadn't just graduated almost our entire front 7 and best safety, I'd say we had a shot. It's gonna be a tough game, with or without the refs...

Edited January 6, 2014 by TIgreen01