What. A. Game.
In what will go down as one of the great games in the history of the Texas program, Charlie Strong's program soared into the stratosphere tonight and there's a chance that it might never look back. In a game that had a little bit of everything, it seems as if dreams were answered everywhere for everyone.
Tyrone Swoopes is a hero. Shane Buchele is on his way to stardom in a first start to remember for the ages. Charlie Strong got to crowd surf on his players.
It's unlike anything I've ever seen before in covering this program.
We're talking about a team full of freshmen and sophomores that just not only played a Notre Dame with a superstar in DeShone Kizer at quarterback off its feet, but it showed the kind of character that could eventually lead to a Big 12 title ... this year.
What. A. Game.
Some scattershots ...
1. You couldn't ask for more from the Texas quarterback duo of Buechele and Swoopes. One made plays with his arm, while the other beat the Irish over the head with a club in the running game. Will it work like this all season? Probably not, but in this game it added up to 280 yards and two touchdowns from Buechele through the air and 53 yards and three touchdowns from Swoopes on the ground.
Texas really does have two quarterbacks.
2. Texas only has one starter, though, and that's Buechele. Outside of one ill-advised throw in the third quarter, he was brilliant for much of the game. Just brilliant. Barring injuries, it's his show.
3. Good for Swoopes. He deserved to have a moment like that in his career. He was knocking dudes out there at the end when he just wouldn't be denied. Eat, Tyrone, eat.
4. Give D'Onte Foreman a game ball as well. All he did was carry the ball 24 times for 141 yards and a touchdown. He looked like the best running back in the Big 12 tonight.
5. John Burt. 6 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. Yes, the drop in the first half was bad, but he was critical tonight.
6. Guys were dropping left and right along the offensive line from play to play, but they gutted out a hell of a game. Game ball for Matt Mattox and all of his troops.
7. I'm going to give Vance Bedford and the defense a pass. Kizer is a flat out star and the Irish offense is going to be deadly all season. It was just one of those games when the offensive side of the ball ruled all night. The defense will make improvements and they flashed all over the field all night, so I'm comfortable this unit will have much better days. There's not another Kizer on the schedule the rest of the season.
8. The Texas pass rush has to improve. The front four has to provide more pressure.
9. Paul Boyette made a couple of huge plays in this game. Attaboy, senior leader.
10. The use of DeShone Kizer tonight kind of reminded me of the 2005 Ohio State game when Jim Tressell wouldn’t leave Troy Smith in the game.
11. DeShon Elliott should have been called for targeting. That wasn’t even close in my mind and it was a play that changed the game. The Irish losing Tori Hunter Jr. was huge and might have been the difference in the game down the stretch.
12. Tempo, tempo and more tempo. This isn't your daddy's Longhorn offense. This looked like the modified Art Briles offense that was expected when Sterlin Gilbert was hired.
13. The special teams have to get better, although Michael Dickson was a superstar at punter tonight with his 55 yard average on six punts.
14. The catch that Jerrod Heard made reminded me of Billy Pittman going 65 yards against Ohio State back in 2005, from the throw, catch, run and ultimately getting caught from behind. Still, that was our first glimpse at a player who can be an impact performer this season.
15. Charlie Strong has talked about Jake Oliver quite a bit for the last six months, but I think we all ignored him because we just never felt like Oliver would ever be a difference-maker. Yet, in the second quarter, he was exactly that with two huge first-down converting catches. It’s like we blinked and a third Shipley brother arrived out of thin air.
16. Color me shocked that Charlie Strong put Tyrone Swoopes into the game after two failed Texas drives in the second quarter, but Swoopes gave the offense the spark it needed and suddenly, the quarterbacks were coming and going on a play by play basis. Swoopes’ first four carries were for 31 yards and it was a reminder how effective the 18-Wheeler Package can be.
17. Take it easy on camera guys in the future, Tyrone.
18. Whoa, Big Daddy. I did not expect to see Chris Nelson explode into the backfield like he did in the second quarter for a stop.
19. The Malik Jefferson that can be a first-round draft pick in a few seasons was on display in the first half when he snuffed out an outside run and created a sack on third down on back to back plays. He played his heart out all night and made a number of huge plays. He's headed for an all-American season.
20. Charlie Strong had no fear on fourth downs. None.
Stay tuned for more thoughts. Lots to do for the rest of the night.
In what will go down as one of the great games in the history of the Texas program, Charlie Strong's program soared into the stratosphere tonight and there's a chance that it might never look back. In a game that had a little bit of everything, it seems as if dreams were answered everywhere for everyone.
Tyrone Swoopes is a hero. Shane Buchele is on his way to stardom in a first start to remember for the ages. Charlie Strong got to crowd surf on his players.
It's unlike anything I've ever seen before in covering this program.
We're talking about a team full of freshmen and sophomores that just not only played a Notre Dame with a superstar in DeShone Kizer at quarterback off its feet, but it showed the kind of character that could eventually lead to a Big 12 title ... this year.
What. A. Game.
Some scattershots ...
1. You couldn't ask for more from the Texas quarterback duo of Buechele and Swoopes. One made plays with his arm, while the other beat the Irish over the head with a club in the running game. Will it work like this all season? Probably not, but in this game it added up to 280 yards and two touchdowns from Buechele through the air and 53 yards and three touchdowns from Swoopes on the ground.
Texas really does have two quarterbacks.
2. Texas only has one starter, though, and that's Buechele. Outside of one ill-advised throw in the third quarter, he was brilliant for much of the game. Just brilliant. Barring injuries, it's his show.
3. Good for Swoopes. He deserved to have a moment like that in his career. He was knocking dudes out there at the end when he just wouldn't be denied. Eat, Tyrone, eat.
4. Give D'Onte Foreman a game ball as well. All he did was carry the ball 24 times for 141 yards and a touchdown. He looked like the best running back in the Big 12 tonight.
5. John Burt. 6 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. Yes, the drop in the first half was bad, but he was critical tonight.
6. Guys were dropping left and right along the offensive line from play to play, but they gutted out a hell of a game. Game ball for Matt Mattox and all of his troops.
7. I'm going to give Vance Bedford and the defense a pass. Kizer is a flat out star and the Irish offense is going to be deadly all season. It was just one of those games when the offensive side of the ball ruled all night. The defense will make improvements and they flashed all over the field all night, so I'm comfortable this unit will have much better days. There's not another Kizer on the schedule the rest of the season.
8. The Texas pass rush has to improve. The front four has to provide more pressure.
9. Paul Boyette made a couple of huge plays in this game. Attaboy, senior leader.
10. The use of DeShone Kizer tonight kind of reminded me of the 2005 Ohio State game when Jim Tressell wouldn’t leave Troy Smith in the game.
11. DeShon Elliott should have been called for targeting. That wasn’t even close in my mind and it was a play that changed the game. The Irish losing Tori Hunter Jr. was huge and might have been the difference in the game down the stretch.
12. Tempo, tempo and more tempo. This isn't your daddy's Longhorn offense. This looked like the modified Art Briles offense that was expected when Sterlin Gilbert was hired.
13. The special teams have to get better, although Michael Dickson was a superstar at punter tonight with his 55 yard average on six punts.
14. The catch that Jerrod Heard made reminded me of Billy Pittman going 65 yards against Ohio State back in 2005, from the throw, catch, run and ultimately getting caught from behind. Still, that was our first glimpse at a player who can be an impact performer this season.
15. Charlie Strong has talked about Jake Oliver quite a bit for the last six months, but I think we all ignored him because we just never felt like Oliver would ever be a difference-maker. Yet, in the second quarter, he was exactly that with two huge first-down converting catches. It’s like we blinked and a third Shipley brother arrived out of thin air.
16. Color me shocked that Charlie Strong put Tyrone Swoopes into the game after two failed Texas drives in the second quarter, but Swoopes gave the offense the spark it needed and suddenly, the quarterbacks were coming and going on a play by play basis. Swoopes’ first four carries were for 31 yards and it was a reminder how effective the 18-Wheeler Package can be.
17. Take it easy on camera guys in the future, Tyrone.
18. Whoa, Big Daddy. I did not expect to see Chris Nelson explode into the backfield like he did in the second quarter for a stop.
19. The Malik Jefferson that can be a first-round draft pick in a few seasons was on display in the first half when he snuffed out an outside run and created a sack on third down on back to back plays. He played his heart out all night and made a number of huge plays. He's headed for an all-American season.
20. Charlie Strong had no fear on fourth downs. None.
Stay tuned for more thoughts. Lots to do for the rest of the night.
