How about Shane against OU last year? I mean everyone is saying the USC game was about 50/50 crowd. That was a near win as you said (which is kind of a crazy bar you set). Simply put, our defense hasn't played like that in 8 years so it's all pretty moot at this time until we see Shane play with that defense. IMO I don't see anyway we lose that game with Shane in there. That 1st half was awful football by Sam and really up until the end of the game was that way. He was like 13 of 32 at one time in the game. Sam is not ready and it shows. He is the reason we came back at the end of the game and he is also the reason we lost at the end of the game with the TO. 4 TOs is just way too much by a QB and is really the reason we lost the game.
I like Sam and I believe he will be a good QB for us but he's not the best choice right now. The coaches would have him starting if he was and they don't, so they agree with my assessment at least for now. You guys are just wanting Sam to start and I get it, there probably is a connection there and that's ok. I root for my friends as well. It's obvious when you blamed Shane for our loses last year, (when we had the worst defense of all time in Texas Football history) that you had something going on. There is no way Sam would have done any better last season (if it were his freshman year) under those same situations with our defense. Sam would have lost the Maryland game even worse with his slower pocket movement. Sam is the tougher kid that can stand up to more punishment, and he may be the better leader, but he's not ready yet to beat out Shane. Until the coaches say otherwise I'll go with their assessment.