Remember the days when Texas would roll into Waco and beat the stuffing out of the men in green and gold?
Well, Saturday turned into one of those days as the Longhorns moved their record back to .500 with a fairly dominant win over the winless Bears.
38-7.
It wasn't perfect, but for this group of players and coaches, it would probably feel like a perfect result. For a team that is still learning how to win, there's no knocking a grown-up, take-care-of-business type of win.
There's no reason to make too much out of it because Baylor isn't very good and much tougher games are in store (starting as soon as this upcoming week), but Texas hasn't won many conference games by four-plus touchdowns in recent years, so let's not poo-poo the result.
On this day, Texas did what the likes of Oklahoma and West Virginia didn't do in winning without breaking too much of a sweat.
Any kind of road win when you've had three consecutive losing seasons represents improvement.
Let yourself enjoy it today, if even just a little.
(A few other thoughts on the game)
* It's hard not to be really happy for Shane Buechele, who probably played his best game in a Longhorn uniform since the UTEP game in September of last year. You have to know he had high expectations for himself coming into this season and given everything that has happened, so seriously, good for him. It wasn't a perfect performance by any stretch, but it absolutely was one of of which he can build going into the rest of the season.
* I thought Tim Beck and the entire offensive staff did a great job of putting Buechele in constant situations he's best in - quick throws that don't require him to make a ton of reads at this stage of his career. When he's getting the ball out quickly and throwing accurately, the offense has a chance to succeed, and the coaches didn't often try to force a square peg into a round hole. Going into the eighth game of the season, it felt like a game-plan that fit the talent and development of the talent that the staff had to work with. Mix in added creativity in terms of play-calling and a commitment to run the ball with Toneil Carter, and you have an afternoon where Beck and the rest of the staff deserve some praise.
Attaboy, Beck.
* It took a few times to get there, but the team showed some killer instinct in putting this game away.
* For all of the fuss made about Buechele's ankle, his input in the running game was an absolute surprise. Was Herman doing a little bit of sandbagging about the ankle on Monday? Buechele's ability to be the entire Texas running game early was a big key today. If he starts next week against TCU, the offense will need more of that.
* Toneil Carter took over the starting running back job in this game. It's his show. He hits the holes quicker, has more explosiveness and runs with a downhill lean. He didn't finish with 100 yards, but that kind of game was within his grasp with just a few more carries.
* Daniel Young received twice as many carries as Chris Warren. It's happening!
* Carter + Young = 21 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
* Poor Carter. He wasn't able to celebrate a touchdown for two seconds before finding out that a Terrell Cuney holding (???) penalty had wiped it out. Next play: Buechele interception . That felt like the story of the 2017 offense in the first seven games in less than 25 words.
* Did Malcolm Roach's season end before it ever really began with the turf toe injury? This kid looked like a potential Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year candidate coming out of last season and he's just never really found his groove in 2017. I make these comments because Roach actually played well today and made a few important plays, which reminded me of just how much I expected of him coming into the season. He might be the final missing piece in taking the Texas defense to the final level.
* I totally appreciate Tom Herman's desire to ignore three points when the team is inside the three-yard line in the name of proper analytical metrics, but taking the 18-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it a three-score lead was the right decision.
* Holton Hill IS having the best season by a Texas cornerback since 2006 when Aaron Ross won the Thorpe Award. No question about it.
* DeShon Elliott is having the best season by a Texas safety since 2009 when Earl Thomas should have won the Thorpe Award.
* Jason Washington and Craig Naivar deserve some credit for their work in getting both of these players to reach some of their immense upside.
* Really nice throw by Buechele on the touchdown pass on third and five to Lil'Jordan Humphrey.
* After the first Baylor drive wends with the pick-six, Malik Jefferson ends the next two with a sack and a tackle for loss. He made plays all afternoon. He's having an all-American-type season.
* Buechele's first throw of the game today went to Armati Foreman. I chuckled.
* The Baylor football program is a shell of itself without Art Briles, which is exactly what it deserves. If it can't be burned to the ground, then let it suffer the indignity of being winless. No, I haven't forgotten. Shame on everyone who played a role in one of the worst college football scandals in history.
Well, Saturday turned into one of those days as the Longhorns moved their record back to .500 with a fairly dominant win over the winless Bears.
38-7.
It wasn't perfect, but for this group of players and coaches, it would probably feel like a perfect result. For a team that is still learning how to win, there's no knocking a grown-up, take-care-of-business type of win.
There's no reason to make too much out of it because Baylor isn't very good and much tougher games are in store (starting as soon as this upcoming week), but Texas hasn't won many conference games by four-plus touchdowns in recent years, so let's not poo-poo the result.
On this day, Texas did what the likes of Oklahoma and West Virginia didn't do in winning without breaking too much of a sweat.
Any kind of road win when you've had three consecutive losing seasons represents improvement.
Let yourself enjoy it today, if even just a little.
(A few other thoughts on the game)
* It's hard not to be really happy for Shane Buechele, who probably played his best game in a Longhorn uniform since the UTEP game in September of last year. You have to know he had high expectations for himself coming into this season and given everything that has happened, so seriously, good for him. It wasn't a perfect performance by any stretch, but it absolutely was one of of which he can build going into the rest of the season.
* I thought Tim Beck and the entire offensive staff did a great job of putting Buechele in constant situations he's best in - quick throws that don't require him to make a ton of reads at this stage of his career. When he's getting the ball out quickly and throwing accurately, the offense has a chance to succeed, and the coaches didn't often try to force a square peg into a round hole. Going into the eighth game of the season, it felt like a game-plan that fit the talent and development of the talent that the staff had to work with. Mix in added creativity in terms of play-calling and a commitment to run the ball with Toneil Carter, and you have an afternoon where Beck and the rest of the staff deserve some praise.
Attaboy, Beck.
* It took a few times to get there, but the team showed some killer instinct in putting this game away.
* For all of the fuss made about Buechele's ankle, his input in the running game was an absolute surprise. Was Herman doing a little bit of sandbagging about the ankle on Monday? Buechele's ability to be the entire Texas running game early was a big key today. If he starts next week against TCU, the offense will need more of that.
* Toneil Carter took over the starting running back job in this game. It's his show. He hits the holes quicker, has more explosiveness and runs with a downhill lean. He didn't finish with 100 yards, but that kind of game was within his grasp with just a few more carries.
* Daniel Young received twice as many carries as Chris Warren. It's happening!
* Carter + Young = 21 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
* Poor Carter. He wasn't able to celebrate a touchdown for two seconds before finding out that a Terrell Cuney holding (???) penalty had wiped it out. Next play: Buechele interception . That felt like the story of the 2017 offense in the first seven games in less than 25 words.
* Did Malcolm Roach's season end before it ever really began with the turf toe injury? This kid looked like a potential Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year candidate coming out of last season and he's just never really found his groove in 2017. I make these comments because Roach actually played well today and made a few important plays, which reminded me of just how much I expected of him coming into the season. He might be the final missing piece in taking the Texas defense to the final level.
* I totally appreciate Tom Herman's desire to ignore three points when the team is inside the three-yard line in the name of proper analytical metrics, but taking the 18-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it a three-score lead was the right decision.
* Holton Hill IS having the best season by a Texas cornerback since 2006 when Aaron Ross won the Thorpe Award. No question about it.
* DeShon Elliott is having the best season by a Texas safety since 2009 when Earl Thomas should have won the Thorpe Award.
* Jason Washington and Craig Naivar deserve some credit for their work in getting both of these players to reach some of their immense upside.
* Really nice throw by Buechele on the touchdown pass on third and five to Lil'Jordan Humphrey.
* After the first Baylor drive wends with the pick-six, Malik Jefferson ends the next two with a sack and a tackle for loss. He made plays all afternoon. He's having an all-American-type season.
* Buechele's first throw of the game today went to Armati Foreman. I chuckled.
* The Baylor football program is a shell of itself without Art Briles, which is exactly what it deserves. If it can't be burned to the ground, then let it suffer the indignity of being winless. No, I haven't forgotten. Shame on everyone who played a role in one of the worst college football scandals in history.
