It's not his fault, but this is probably the most memorable moment of Charles Omenihu's career.
It doesn't matter that he'll likely be a first-team all-Big 12 player as a senior.
Or that he'll likely be a longtime NFL player.
Or that he has two wins over Oklahoma under his belt.
What will be remembered is that on what is arguably the worst loss in the history of the Texas program (I'd still choose Baylor in 1989), Omenihu's on-field meltdown after the loss became the signature visual of the moment.
Two years later, Omenihu and every single player that lived that game has a chance to make something so wrong into something so right.
Go to Kansas. Win the game. Play in the Big 12 Championship game for the first time in a decade. Exorcise the demons and never look back.
My goodness, to have the opportunity to have the last word after having to hear so many words the last two years about that moment doesn't just represent Shakespearean-level irony, it's a gift from the football gods. It's the kind of thing that every single guy that flew home to Austin from Lawrence that night imagined 30,000 feet in the air.
Therefore, with all due respect, there's no excuse for this team to show up on Friday and not take care of business. There's too much on the line. There's too much wrong that can be made right.
If I'm Omenihu or anyone on that Texas roster, I'm itching for this moment and stealing a line from Samwise Gamgee
No. 2 - This week's Sam situation ...
In my mind, the competitive level of the game in Lawrence comes down to whether starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger is able to play close to a 100-percent level.
With it being a short week, it's a tough situation to call when you consider that he was obviously in pain on Saturday night, but unlike the situation against Baylor back in October, Ehlinger seemed much closer to returning to the game against Iowa State.
He felt he could play and Herman disagreed with a two-touchdown lead in his hip pocket.
My gut tells me that Sam will play and that Texas will pull away in the second half. If Ehlinger is unable to play, my fear is that the Texas offense won't crack 28 points on the road and the game becomes a little more iffy in the process.
No. 3 - One of the coolest things I've ever seen at DKR ...
A video is worth a bazillion words.
No. 4 - Compare and contrast ...
(Photo via Hookem.com)
Continuing our way through the class of 2015, we take a look at the linebacker position, which featured seven of the state's 75 prospects, which ranks as a pretty strong linebacker class on paper in this current age of recruiting in the Lone Star State.
Previous position breakdowns: Running Backs,
Wide Receivers,
Offensive Linemen,
Defensive ends and
DefensiveBacks
Top In-State prospects
1. Malik Jefferson (Signed with Texas) - Three-year starter for the Longhorns who won All-America and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors as a junior. After declaring for the NFL early, Jefferson was a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
2. Anthony Wheeler (Signed with Texas) - A multi-year starter for the Longhorns with 25 career starts under his belt.
3. Richard Moore (Signed with Texas A&M) - Transferred from A&M to SMU and is currently the best player on the SMU defense, leading the team in tackles (79), sacks (4.5), QB hits (5), and is second on the team in tackles for loss (12.5).
4. Semaj Thomas (Signed with TCU) - Flamed out at TCU after struggling to find a position once he grew into a defensive lineman. He's currently playing at Northeastern Louisiana.
5. Cameron Townsend (Signed with Texas) - A fourth-year junior who has mostly performed on special teams this season.
6. Landis Durham (Signed with Texas A&M) - Durham has emerged as one of the best players on the A&M defense after moving to defensive end. Has 15.5 career sacks and projects as a possible Sunday player.
7. Alex Dunham (Signed with TCU) - Although he was a little-used reserve for TCU for most of his career, Dunham has contributed a little more in his final season in Ft. Worth, but has never emerged as an impact player.
Judgment?
No. 5 – Buy or Sell …
BUY or SELL: Texas has erased any "momentum" created by the Jimbo hire. In September it looked like Aggy might be making a move, now it's starting to look like Daddy is coming home to kick the little sh$t out of the chair.
(Sell) I know what you want me to tell you, but Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies haven't had a horrible year, and if we're keeping it completely real, there are still some very real in-state recruiting concerns that the Longhorns were never able to fully address in the 2019 class, which is being bailed out by a Herculean effort by the assistant coaches out of state. The Aggies have an excellent staff of recruiters. Oh, and the Sooners are still a major headache in the Metroplex. The battle in recruiting has just begun.
BUY or SELL: Texas cleans up 2020 in-state blue chips off the back of this season?
(Buy) I'll take the leap of faith, but see my response above. Texas won't be shooting from the lay-up line like Mack did in his glory days.
BUY or SELL: You're excited about the potential of going into an offseason without having to discuss a QB controversy?
(Buy) It's been 10 seasons since this fan-base had an anxiety-less off-season. MF'ING TEN!
BUY or SELL: We see a freshman QB at some point on Friday?
(Buy) If by seeing a freshman QB, you mean someone over the weekend will have to play a freshman quarterback. Surely, you didn't mean Texas.
BUY or SELL: With a win over Kansas, this season has far exceeded your pre-season expectations?
(Sell) Exceeded? Yes. Far exceeded? I wouldn't say that. I was an 8-4 guy coming into the season that could have easily been talked into Texas being the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 title game pecking order. Of course, the answer to your question could change with additional victories. In theory, 8-5, 9-4, 9-5, 10-4 and 11-3 are all records that are all still on the table.
BUY or SELL: Lil'Jordan wrapped up 1st team All Big 12 last night?
(Sell) The selections could go in a million directions because you've got six guys fighting for three spots. I'd have to believe that Antoine Wesley (Texas Tech) and Tylan Wallace are mortal locks because of the monster statistical edge both players have on the other four. Humphrey is battling Hollywood Brown, Hakeem Butler and Jalen Reagor, not to mention teammate Collin Johnson. I think the odds are against him.
BUY or SELL: Texas would beat Georgia or LSU in the Sugar Bowl if they played either team?
(Sell) They could beat each of those two teams, but I'm not so sure I'd say they absolutely
would, especially in a match-up against Georgia.
BUY or SELL: Pound for pound, LJH is the best all-around receiver Texas has ever seen?
(Sell) Nope. Not for me.
No. 6 – If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Georgia
5. Michigan
6. Washington State
7. Central Florida
8. Oklahoma
9. LSU
10. Ohio State
Heisman Top 3: Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray and Gardner Minshew.
No. 7 - If and when Matt Coleman heats up, so will the Texas basketball team ...
Coming into this season, my expectation for Texas sophomore guard Matt Coleman is that he would be the best player on the Longhorns and one of the best guards in the Big 12.
After a freshman season that featured plenty of "moments" to suggest that Coleman was on his way to true difference-maker status, it seemed like the natural transition from freshman season to sophomore campaign would occur.
As it turns out, maybe I've overcooked the grits.
Coleman isn't just struggling early in his second season in Austin, he's been poor.
It's not just that his three-point percentage has dropped to a level (22.2-percent) that would make Markelle Fultz-With-The-Yipps blush, but his overall shooting from the floor (27.3-percent) is nearly 14 percentage points worse than a year ago.
Most of the rest of his game (rebounds, assists-to-turnover ratio, steals) is pretty much in line with his numbers as a freshman, but Texas needs him to be a closer in late-game situations and he's pretty much the last guy you want taking an important shot at this point in the season.
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... The Texas State head coaching job is open and if the Bobcats admin has any sense at all, it will interview Texas assistant coach Jason Washington, who might very well be the single-best assistant coach in the entire Big 12. He's the prodigal son who knows the state inside and out as a recruiter, and he develops all-Conference players like he's shooting them out of a Pez dispenser (look it up, millennials).
... A few weeks ago, I did a list of the top 10 wide receivers in school history and Lil'Jordan Humphrey not only wasn't yet on the list, but few people were crying foul over his omission. A few weeks later, his numbers have exploded, as has his reputation.
In a poll on Orangebloods, Humphrey received more than 75.0-percent of the vote in a heads-up prime vs. prime battle against Quan Cosby, who is generally considered the third-best receiver in school history.
... Personally, I love Les Miles coming to the Big 12. He's taking over what looks like a near-impossible task on paper, but he makes the Jayhawks interesting and that's good for everyone.
... Notre Dame was pretty damn impressive this weekend. Just saying ...
... Root for West Virginia this weekend. There's too much downside to an Oklahoma match-up in the Big 12 title game.
... Kyler Murray is a fantastic football player, truly fantastic, but when I saw the Bo Jackson inspired photo this week that he paid homage to, all I could wonder is how he's avoided being broken in half this season. I guess you can't break what you can't catch.
... If Dallas played in any other division in the NFL, getting to 5-5 wouldn't be a reason for celebration, but in a division with Washington (minus its starting quarterback for the rest of the season) leading the way with a one-game edge in the standings, beating the Falcons on Sunday was pretty significant. And impressive. I don't want to leave that out. I would not have guessed two weeks ago when it was 3-5 that it would win road games in Philly and Atlanta in back to back weeks.
... Dallas hosting Washington and Colt McCoy on Thanksgiving afternoon? Oh boy.
... Nice job, Texans.
... Hmmmm....
... I’m team #TeamMahomes when it comes to putting ketchup on steak, but I'll only do it if no one is watching. Don't @ me.
... It didn't take long for Jimmy Butler to win over the City of Brotherly Love
... Speaking of the City of Brotherly Love, how many days until the Phillies sign Bryce Harper? I'm ready.
... It's nearly Silly Season in the world of soccer...
No. 9 - The List: Top 10 Texas Linebackers ...
This was an interesting task because so much consideration has to be made for the eras that they played in, but at the top of the list, the No. 1 spot came down to this simple tie-breaker - who led his team to a national championship?
I'm sure there will be a variety of opinions on this one.
10. Jordan Hicks
9. Aaron Harris
8. Jeff Leiding
7. Ty Allert
6. Malik Jefferson
5. Doug Shankle
4. Britt Hager
3. Kiki DeAyala
2. Derrick Johnson
1. Tommy Nobis
No. 10 – And Finally ...
It's important that I give a special shout-out today to
@OBRob for the work he's done to put together an incredible tailgate experience all season long.
Great people ... great food ... a great vibe ... it was the perfect atmosphere to introduce my four-year old twins to the greatness of Orangebloods.
It wouldn't be possible without the tireless work of Rob. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
