Longhorns already amped up to face BYU

[Harry]

Sept. 7 of last year is when the 2013 started to unravel for the Texas Longhorns.

On that fateful night in Provo, Utah, the Longhorns allowed a school record of 550 rushing yards to BYU, including 259 yards and three touchdowns by Cougar quarterback Taysom Hill. The 40-21 loss put an end to any talk of Texas being a national champion sleeper and signaled the problems the Longhorns would spend the rest of the season trying to fix.

In the beginning of the game we had an edge, but when we came back out I just don't know what happened, said senior defensive end Cedric Reed, referring to the weather delay prior to the game. I don't know if BYU drank a lot of Gatorade or what. Whatever they did worked.

Daje Johnson was injured after just two touches on offense, David Ash suffered a concussion in the second half that ultimately played a role in him missing significant action during the 2013 season, and the defense was a complete mess.

As such, that was the game was the last for Manny Diaz as the Longhorns' defensive coordinator. Diaz was fired the next morning by Mack Brown and replaced by Greg Robinson, which is one of the many reasons why the Longhorns are amped up for when the Cougars visit Austin on Sept. 6.

As a pride factor that ought to be something you have circled on your calendar, if you're a man, senior defensive back Quandre Diggs said. We got beat down that day. You want me to keep it real? Those guys played a better game and beat our tail. We lost a man his job, his way of earning money for his family. As a man you want to go out and beat those guys.

Team sources have told Horns247 that Charlie Strong has spent a lot of time watching that film in the offseason. The new Texas head coach reportedly becomes furious whenever he watches the Longhorns being trampled by the Cougars, which is an accurate description of his emotions given how the players say Strong talks about that game with them.

That's all we hear about is BYU, Reed said. We're ready to play BYU.

For these Texas players, particularly those who have been on the roster since 2011, this will be the rubber match in the series with the Cougars. Texas defeated BYU, 17-16, in Austin in 2011.

Read more: http://texas.247sports.com/Board/21/Contents/Longhorns-already-amped-up-to-face-BYU-29966518

[MeanGreenD]

_{Glad they are so fired up to play BYU, now our game can be officially viewed as a "trap game".}

[Eagle1855]

_{Glad they are so fired up to play BYU, now our game can be officially viewed as a "trap game".}

I doubt their coaching staff and players are looking past North Texas. It's the very first game of a new coach -- the first time they've had a new coach in 17 years -- at home, at night. This is the first "must-win" of Strong's career at Texas.