Coach Fran Selling Secrets to Chinese

The Aggies always seem to go out of their way to offer humor and a good laugh to the rest of the world. Today it comes compliments of Coach Fran and the "VIP Connection".

Apparently Coach Fran had about 12 boosters who subscribed to a weekly newsletter that offered inside information about the team, such as injuries, and player assessment. However, the practice is going to stop as one of the newsletters was given to the San Antonio Express News, via a third party.

It is unknown whether Bob Stoops and Bill Callahan were subscribers of the newsletter, but obviously it's quite embarrasing for Franchione and the Aggies. It is also unknown whether it was explained to boosters, the strategy behind not giving Javorskie Lane a touch in the first half of the Miami game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3040891

Former WR Roy Williams: Cheap, Possibly Boring

This is an entertaining article spotted over on Deadspin.com. Apparently, Texas favorite wide receiver (or "The Legend") as he was called, is quite the tight wad and not much of an exciting date.

Roy Knows Classy


Honestly, I like this. I like to go bowling and I like cheap things. I think I could be friends with Roy. I would hate to always have to sneak a tip to our waiter, but I could get over it. Plus, the anti-super star thing is pretty cool.

This is how Roy dresses to go bowling...

Week 5 Spotlight

The Staples have the overall lead back! Lets hope to continue the momentum.


Charlie Weis' Stomach Staples starting line-up:

QB- Nate Longshore- Yeah Pac-10 defenses! Longshore and Cal get to go against the Oregon Ducks and their less than stellar defense. While Longshore has only passed for 215 yds/game, he has 5 TDs against only 2 INTs. Oregon gives up more than 400 yards a game on defense and Longshore gets to throw to maybe the best receiver in the Pac-10, DeShaun Jackson.

QB- Colt McCoy- Last week, Colt went for 333 yards and 3 TDs. Texas finally opened up their offense and let McCoy attack downfield. With the awesome weapons he has to work with, he should have gaudy stats the rest of the year if the aggressive play call continues.

RB- PJ Hill- Hill is rushing for 128 yds/game and has crossed the goal line 7 times. Michigan St. is giving up 200 yards on the ground and Hill looks to continue racking up his own yards. Hill is going to have a big game with 150 yards and 2 TDs.

RB- Jamaal Charles- Charles is the leading rusher in the Big 12, and has rushed for 100 yards in 3 of Texas' 4 games. He would have easily last week, but the starters were sat for the final 1.5 quarters. Even when big holes were not showing up in the line, Charles got his yards. Now that the line is opening things up more, Jamaal looks to continue his dominance.

WR- Limas Sweed- Limas got to go downfield and look what happened. Sweed racked up 139 yards and 2 TDs against Rice. I am betting on the fact that Greg Davis will continue to use Sweed like he should (as the best deep threat in the nation). Let's hope the offense stays open.

WR-DeShaun Jackson- Maybe the most explosive player in the nation. Jackson looks to shred a weak Oregon defense as Nate Longshore picks apart the secondary. With Jackson, you must look out for his special teams play as well. The Pac-10 is always nice to great offensive players.

O- Oregon- Oregon's defense forces it to score a lot of points. Fortunately Dixon and the Duck offense has yet to be stopped this year. Dixon is the best dual threat QB in the nation right now and the Ducks are hitting their offensive stride. Luckily, they are paying the Cal Bears who are soft on defense.

D-Rutgers- The Rutgers D is only allowing 215 yards a game. They haven't played the best competition yet, but the Scarlett Knight defense is strong and will give Maryland all they can handle. The Terrapins have never been an exciting, dynamic offense and will probably continue to be so on Saturday.

Week 5 Spotlight

Last Week: After having the highlight reel that was Graham Harrell (640 yds, 5 TDs) and Michael Crabtree (230 yds, 3 TDs) of Texas Tech, the Stomach Staples dominated Week 4 winning (211-185). The win erased the entire overall deficit and has given the Stomach Staples a (707-700) lead overall, heading into Week 5.

Week 5 for Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Service:

QB - Dennis Dixon, Oregon - The Ducks are the surprise team in the Pac-10, and that is in large part thanks to Dennis Dixon. Known for his running abilities, Dixon has shown his medal as a passer this season, throwing for 932 yards and 11 TDs in just 4 games. He will face his biggest test this evening, when the #6 Cal Bears come to Eugene. He will get every opportunity to shine against a mediocre defense, but will need to keep pace with Cal's high octane offense.

QB - Cullen Harper, Clemson - Another surprise at quarterback this season has been the play of Cullen Harper at Clemson. The running of James Davis and CJ Spiller will always give Clemson plenty of chances in the passing game, and it looks like Clemson finally has someone that can exploit it. Harper has thrown for 964 yards and 12 TDs in 4 games this season. He will need to continue that output this weekend against a Georgia Tech team that has been let down by their defense during their 0-2 ACC start.

RB - Steve Slaton, West Virginia - Last season, South Florida derailed the Mountaineers title hopes. This season, West Virginia is looking for redemption against #18 South Florida. Expect the Mountaineers to take care of business in the rematch, and do it by sticking to what they do best. That would be giving the Bulls a steady dose of Steve Slaton. Possibly the best back in the country, Slaton has run for 502 yards and 9 TDs in his first 4 games.

RB - Ray Rice, Rutgers - For those that don't think Steve Slaton is the best running back in the country, it's because they are in the Ray Rice camp. The Rutgers back has picked up right where he left off, running for 431 yards and 8 TDs in his first three games. Rutgers will face their first true test of the season in Maryland, but with the weakness of Maryland's offense, expect Rutgers to have the ball a lot, which means Ray Rice will wear down the Maryland defense.

WR - Tiquan Underwood, Rutgers - Teams have their hands full with Ray Rice when they face Rutgers. This allows Tiquan Underwood to get free at least once or twice a game. Maryland will focus and put a lot of men in the box to stop Rice, and it should allow Underwood to build on his 20 catches for 500 yards and 3 TDs that he has racked up in the first 3 games of the year.

WR - Lavelle Hawkins - While DeSean Jackson garners much of the attention for the Cal passing game, it has been Hawkins who has been the go-to guy in the Cal passing attack. The wide receiever has had 25 catches for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first four games this season. Look for those numbers to continue to improve as Cal will be locked in a shootout with #11 Oregon this weekend.

Rutgers Offense - While Maryland has a solid defense, their offense has been unable to keep their defense off the field this season. This will prove to be a problem when they face Rutgers high powered attack. Rutgers averages 525 yards a game and 46 points, featuring a balanced attack that strikes with the deep pass after establishing Ray Rice on the ground.

Penn State Defense - The Nittany Lion defense learned a valuable lesson this weekend against Michigan. They can't afford to give up any points if they expect to win. The defense held Michigan to 14 points (7 of which was due to Morelli dropping the ball on his own 10), despite being on the field most of the second half. Penn State's defense will shut down the Illinois ground game, and with it Illinois' offense.

Week 5 Picks
(home team in bold)

#5 West Virginia (4-0) over #18 South Florida (3-0)
#6 California (4-0) over #11 Oregon (4-0)
#9 Wisconsin (4-0) over Michigan State (4-0)
Georgia Tech (2-2) over #13 Clemson (4-0)
#21 Penn State (3-1) over Illinois (3-1)
Florida State (2-1) over #22 Alabama (3-1)
#10 Rutgers (4-0) over Maryland (2-2)
#7 Texas (4-0) over Kansas State (2-1)
UCLA (3-1) over Oregon State (2-2)
Virginia (3-1) over Pittsburgh (2-2)

Unit Comparison: Texas v. Kansas State

It's revenge time. Last year, the Kansas State Wildcats dashed the Longhorn's national championship hopes, with an upset in Manhattan, KS. Colt McCoy went down on the opening drive, but the Texas defense cost the Horns the game with their inability to stop the big play (specifically the halfback pass. Kansas State won 45-42. With that behind us, lets look forward to the game this Saturday with a unit by unit comparison.

The Post game mob scene in 2006

Quarterback- When it comes to the best Big 12 QBs, look no further than Colt McCoy. Last, against Rice, Colt finally got the take the reigns of an opened up, high power offense. He passed for 333 yards and 3 TDs. KSU's Josh Freeman has played better in his sophomore year, but has still shown a penchant for making mistakes. He has thrown 4 INTs while only connecting to 2 TDs. ADV: TEXAS

Running back- Jamaal Charles leads the Big 12 with 471 rushing yards and 6 TDs. His backup Chris Ogbonnaya has also proven to be a hard runner. With the great showing of freshman John Chiles and Vondrell McGee, it seems like Texas has an unlimited amount of rushing weapons. James Johnson leads KSU with 80 yards/game and 4 TDs. ADV: TEXAS

Wide Receivers- Texas finally got to open up the passing game, and go deep against Rice. Sweed has over 100 yards and 2 TDs. Nate Jones has been a pleasant surprise while Quan Cosby and Jermichael Finely have been consistent pass catchers. Jordy Nelson is the go-to guy for the Wildcats. He has 127 yds/game with a TD. But he is the only real threat. ADV: TEXAS.

Offensive Line- Texas has taken their share of criticism this year, but the fact is that Jamaal Charles leads the Big 12 in rushing and Colt has only been sacked 4 times. The huge holes are not always there, but they haven't really been pushed around much this year and were able to hold their own against TCU. KSU averages only 1 pt less than Texas per game, but the Wildcats are 8th of 12 in the Big 12 in rushing yards. However, Josh Freeman has only been sacked 2 times. The 'Cats average about 20 yards less per game than Texas. ADV: PUSH

Defensive Line- Texas has given up 34 rushing yards per game, but K State has given up only 36 themselves. In 4 games Texas has given up 5 rushing TDs, while K State has only given up 1. The line is the strength of the Texas defense, as it is for K State. Both have shut down their opponents on the ground. Last week Texas held Rice to -11 rushing yards. Texas has the bigger names, but the stats don't lie. ADV: PUSH

Linebackers- For Texas, it almost depends on who is getting the most playing time. If Norton, Kindle and Muckleroy are seeing the field, Texas has a bit of an advantage on KSU. If Derry, Bobino and Killebrew are there, then it seems like more of a push. Ian Campbell is the leader for the Wildcat LBs and 11 tackles and 3.5 TFL. The K State defense is good and the linebackers are a big part of that. So since the answer depends on the linebacker rotation... ADV: PUSH

Defensive Backs- What Texas fans thought was going to be the worst part of the year, has actually turned into a decent part of the team. While Texas has given up 226 yards through the air, some of that has come at the end of games during mop up time. But Texas has struggled at times. Arkansas State's QB was able to pass for big yards, as was UCF. K State, on the other hand has given up only 190 yards through the air, per game. To be fair, KSU did play San Jose State and Missouri State, so their gaudy defensive stats are a bit suspect and Texas will provide a significant upgrade in challenges. ADV: TEXAS


Special Teams- Ryan Bailey is cashing in on that scholarship he earned after last season, going 10-12 on the year. He almost single-handedly won the UCF game for Texas, kicking 6 FGs. The Texas return games have been decent, but not huge. Leon Patton is averaging 26 yds/kick return and in his 2 punt returns, Jordy Nelson has averaged 41 yards. KSU kicker, Brooks Rossman is 6-6 on FG for the year. Oh yeah, and Texas does not have to deal with Yamon Figures this year (126 yds, 2 TD) ADV: TEXAS

View From The Cheap Seats: Rice

Well, this is the game that everyone was waiting to see out of Texas. Granted, it came against maybe one of the 5 worst teams in college football, but a blowout is still nice to see. Not much on the negative side from this one, but I will take a look at the positives from the offense and defense.

The Offense-

What a huge difference throwing the ball down field makes for the Texas offense. The whole offense just seemed to have a different attitude. They were going for the jugular on every play. Rice would turn it over, and the first play of the series Texas would go deep to Sweed for a big play. The deep ball to Sweed is something Horn fans have been waiting for all year. The Texas receivers are their biggest asset and you finally got to see why on Saturday.

Not only does going deep open up the passing game, but the running game also seemed to benefit from the open offense. Charles averaged 5 yards a carry, had larger holes and didn't seem to be meeting a bevy of tacklers in the backfield and on the line of scrimmage.

But the biggest news on the offensive side was the debut of John Chiles as the back up QB. Mack had not had a chance to get him in this season, since Texas has played three close games. The energy from the crowd was great as Chiles came in for his first series. Of course it may have been the fact that something interesting was finally happening in the blowout, but people seemed generally excited to see Chiles. I think Texas fans just miss quarterback controversies.

But Chiles, along with Vondrell McGee did not disappoint. Even though Chiles only threw one pass (that was dropped) he and McGee ripped up the tired Rice defense on the ground. The tandem seemed unstoppable. In a quarter and a half they racked up a combined 150 yards rushing and a TD from McGee. The last few possessions were runs up the middle and Sherrod Harris actually took a few snaps in the last series.

Lets just hope that Chiles and McGee will see some quality time against K State, as their services may be needed against OU and their powerful defense.

The Defense-

The one thing that was painfully obvious in this game was the superior play of the back-up linebacking corp to the three starters. When Jared Norton, Roderick Muckleroy and Sergio Kindle are in the game, the play is faster and more aggressive. They just seem to make plays and are in the right spot, making tackles and pressuring the QB. The play looks slower and less enthusiastic when Derry, Killebrew and Bobino are manning the middle of the field.

The difference in productivity was reflected in the playing time. The younger unit saw much of the game time (even before the blowout) while the more experienced backers were left watching and seeing less time. While I appreciate all that Bobino an crew have done for the Texas defense, it is really time to see the better of the linebackers step forward as the key players on this defense. The linebacking play has the been the weakest part of the defense for better than a season now. Akina and MacDuff can fix a lot of their defensive struggles by getting the young players in early and often for the rest of the year.

Youth was the name of the game on defense in general. At one point in the 4th quarter there were 11 freshman and redshirt freshman on defense for Texas.

The secondary had a strong game as well. Its not like Rice has every thrown the ball well, but the Horns contained Jarred Dillard and Rice all evening (they gave up a few yards in mop up time). While the secondary has struggled, they have not been the total liability some were predicting this year. They came away with 2 more interceptions and did a good job for most of the night.

Up Next: Kansas State Wildcats

Big XII Power Rankings

FAVORITES
1.) #3 Oklahoma (4-0) - W - 62-21 vs. Tulsa
- Another convincing win for the Sooners, against a strong Tulsa team. Their offense looks to be just about unstoppable and running on all cylinders. After struggling early against the spread offense of Tulsa, the defense adjusted shutting them down. This team has the confidence of the Bob Stoops championship teams, as they left the starters in late into the 4th quarter, scoring 20 more points in a game that was over.

2.) #7 Texas (4-0) - W - 58-14 vs. Rice
- Texas finally put together a whole football game, though Rice is probably the worst team that Texas will see all season. Either way, the win will give Colt McCoy and the offense some confidence heading into the conference opener against Kansas State. But October 7th against Oklahoma looms large.

CONTENDERS
3.) #20 Missouri (4-0) - W - 38-17 vs. Illinois State
- An unimpressive win for the Tigers, as you'd like to see them do a bit more offensively and defensively against a 1-AA team. Either way, their non-conference schedule is over with, and the Tigers will get two weeks to prepare for a visit from the Nebraska Cornhuskers, in what could be the Big XII North Championship.

4.) #25 Nebraska (3-1) - W - 41-40 vs. Ball State
- Someone had to take the #4 spot in the rankings, so the Huskers move up a spot after what was almost a disasterous loss at home versus Ball State. They obviously still have not recovered from the USC loss, and didn't come to play. While it was a much better showing from Sam Keller and the offense, the performance by the defense is troublesome. They will have a week to sort it out against Iowa State, before traveling to Columbia, to take on Missouri.

PRETENDERS
5.) Texas A&M (3-1) - L - 34-17 at. Miami (FL)
- The Aggies drop a spot, and for now drop out of the contenders category after a horrible showing against the Miami Hurricanes on national television. They can't throw, and they can't stop the pass, and somehow managed to get Javorskie Lane zero first half touches. They will need to figure out something or things could go from bad to worse against a pass happy Baylor squad on Saturday.

6.) Kansas (4-0) - W - 55-3 vs. Florida International
- The Jayhawks finished off their high school football schedule, going 4-0 against 4 pop warner sides. It's hard to tell if the Jayhawks are the darkhorse candidate in the Big XII North, or if they found the four worst D-I teams to play. They get a week off to prepare for a trip to Kansas State that will teach us a lot about this year's team.

7.) Oklahoma State (2-2) (1-0) - W - 49-45 vs. Texas Tech
- It looks like Zac Robinson is who the Cowboys will stick with at quarterback the rest of the way, after an impressive victory against Texas Tech, that could have very well saved the season. After the disasterous start, the Cowboys sit a top the Big XII, at least for a week.

8.) Texas Tech (3-1) (0-1) - L - 45-49 at Oklahoma State
- Texas Tech had the chance to make a run in a weaker Big XII, but once again the Red Raiders show that their offense can't get it done when it matters, and their defense can't stop anyone. The loss at Oklahoma State is a killer way to start their Big XII campaign, and it all but takes Texas Tech out of the discussion as a darkhorse candidate. That being said, I still wouldn't want to play them.

9.) Kansas State (2-1) - idle -
- Kansas State had an extra week to get ready for their return trip to Austin. Kansas State's defense should do well enough to keep the Wildcats in the game for a bit. But Josh Freeman will need to play great, take care of the football, and put some points on the board. It may take 28 points to win this game for the Wildcats.

THE REST

10.) Colorado (2-2) - W - 42-0 vs. Miami (OH)
- An impressive win for the Buffaloes. Coach Hawkins is doing a great job, as they are making definite strides in Season 2. They are probably doing more with the talent that they have, than any other Big XII team. Depending on how they do through conference play, Hawkins may be up for Coach of the Year in the conference.

11.) Baylor (3-1) - W - 34-21 at Buffalo
- This could be a little bit low for Baylor, but they will need to win a big game before they can be taken seriously. They will get their chance this weekend as they head to College Station. They will have to figure out a way to stop the running game of A&M, and if they can't, then it will be a long day for the Bears.

12.) Iowa State (1-3) - L - 35-36 at Toledo
- Last week we wondered if the win over Iowa was luck, how bad the Big Ten is, or whether Iowa State was improving. Well, we learned it was a combination of #1 and #2, as Iowa State gave Toledo their first win of the season. It will be a long season for Gene Chizik and they Cyclones. A very long season.

The Aggie Resurgance that Never Was

Five years into the Dennis Franchione era and Texas A&M is still searching for answers after a 34-17 drubbing at the hands of a Miami team that is not your typical Miami. This shouldn't be happening. The time for the Aggies is now. The resurgence of a program that fell from grace under RC Slocum should be well on its way towards Big XII titles and BCS bowls in year 5 under Dennis Franchione.

What exactly has gone wrong in Aggieland is even a more puzzling question. Since Franchione's arrival in College Station the Aggies have never finished with a better conference record than 5-3 ('04/'06), and those are the only two seasons that they have had winning records in conference. The Aggies have made only two bowl games in Franchione's four years, the Cotton in '04 and the Holiday Bowl in '06. Both, needless to say, were debacles, after losing to Tennessee 38-7 in '04 and California 45-10 in '06. During his four years he has amassed a 28-24 record, posting two winning seasons, a 6-12 record against ranked opponents (4 wins in his first two seasons, only two since), and a 1-9 record against Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

The thing that makes this all the more of a mystery is A&M's recruiting classes during Franchione's tenure. According to rivals.com, A&M had the #13 class and the #8 class in '04 and '05 respectively. However, they haven't been able to sustain that level with the #27 class and the #43 class in '06 and '07. Things do look better for '08 as they are currently rated at #13 for next year's class. But, you have to wonder what has happened to those first two top classes that are currently juniors and seniors. The players just haven't developed and the drop off in '06 and '07 don't show things getting any brighter in the near future.

A&M has appeared to have two turning points under Franchione, both of which were not sustained or built on. In his second season, A&M improved 3 games, notching wins over 3 ranked teams (Clemson, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech). The 7-5 mark looked to be a step in the right direction for Franchione. However, a loss in the Cotton Bowl (38-7), followed up by a 5-6 campaign in 2005, eroded any progress Franchione had made. Last season's win over Texas and a 9-3 record promised to be the re-birth of the program, but it appears that too is not going to be sustainable, as they followed the Texas game with a loss in the Holiday Bowl (45-10), two unimpressive wins in their first two games of 2007, capped off with a game that they were down 31-0 against a Miami team that hadn't shown any offense in 3 games thus far this season.

Unlike the 7-5 season in 2004, the 9-4 season in 2006 appeared to be more smoke and mirrors than actual substance. After having home and homes with Utah ('03 and '04) and Clemson ('04 and '05) both have fallen off the schedule in exchange for the likes of SMU and Texas State (2005), Citadel, LA-Lafayette, Army, and LA-Tech (2006), and Montana State, Fresno State (1-2), and LA-Monroe (2007). While the records have improved over the past two seasons, the quality of opponent has dropped off considerably, and it has come back to hurt the Ags in Big XII play. With road games at Texas Tech, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Missouri, 5-3 in the Big XII would be a major success for this current Aggies team, that is suffering from a range of problems.

The Aggies defense has always been shaky and suspect throughout the Franchione era, which is confusing considering his reputation for defense at TCU and Alabama. This year's defense looks even worse than in years past, getting torched by Fresno State and Miami through the air. The secondary looks confused and undisciplined. Though the secondary doesn't look anywhere as bad as the passing game. Featuring Stephen McGee, Javorskie Lane, and Michael Goodson on the ground makes A&M look like one of the most fearsome units in the country, but after the showing by McGee in the passing game, the Aggies will be facing 8 men in the box for much of the rest of the season. McGee was a very distinguished passing quarterback in high school, but he seems to have lost all confidence in his arm.

However, the most concerning problem with the Aggies is the coaching staff. The game plan for the Miami game was poorly conceived and executed. This is nothing new for the Aggies in big games, as was evidenced in the big bowl losses in 2004 and 2006. Franchione seems unable to put together a winning game plan, and play to his strengths, while attacking his opponents weakness.

While many are taking joy in the continued struggles of the Aggies, it's not good for Texas, or the Big XII. With a conference that features two national contenders (Texas is even questionable this season in that category) and not much else, the Big XII has fallen towards the bottom of the major conferences, clearly behind the SEC, Big East, Pac-10, and probably the ACC and Big Ten. The Big XII needs the Aggies to stabilize the conference, but it doesn't appear that will be the case anytime soon.

The Aggies have all kinds of problems, and depending on how this season plays out, Franchione may not have much rope left for that rabid fan base in College Station, or demanding Athletic Director Bill Byrne. You may or may not think Texas A&M deserves a winner, but the Big XII is in dire need of a national contender, and Texas needs another rival.

DMN: Aggie Bashing

Poor Aggie

This is one of my favorite article written in a while. It really sums up all the things that Aggie fans do that get really annoying to those who are relevant (Longhorns). Thank you, Dallas Morning News.

Perhaps, if the Aggies' fan base stopped being so obsessed with every facet of UT's program and focused all of their energy and attention on improving their own program, they'd have better results.

Week 4 Spotlight

Last Week: Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Service continued to roll, taking Week 3 by a score of 196-185, extending their overall lead to 19 points (515-496). Joe Pa overcame Colt Brennan and those pesky Stomach Staples behind the play Tim Tebow, Mike Hart, and Darren McFadden.

This week:

Quarterbacks: Andre Woodson has been an outstanding dual threat quarterback, leading the Kentucky Wildcats to an upset win against rival #8 Louisville, and has Kentucky at 3-0. Kentucky takes on Arkansas this week, and while they might not be able to come away victorious, the Arkansas defense practically guarentees 40 points for Kentucky. Jake Lockar of Washington will face a tough test against UCLA, but any defense should look easy compared to Ohio State. As the leading passer and almost the leading rusher for the Huskies, Lockar will put up points.

Runningbacks: Darren McFadden is a heisman favorite for a reason. He is downright explosive and leads the Arkansas offense. Playing Kentucky, it should be a high scoring affair and McFadden has a chance to do a lot of damage. Terry Grant will continue to carry the load for Alabama as they look to make it a 4-0 start against the Georgia Bulldogs. Grant is a bruising back that could find the endzone in what should be a grind it out affair.

Wide Receivers: Adarius Bowman has been about the only bright spot for Oklahoma State this season. With the Red Raiders coming to town, Oklahoma State may not be able to get back on track, but the offense should at least play a lot better, going against the Red Raiders defense. South Carolina shouldn't be a difficult test for LSU, but is should be close for a bit. Quarterback Matt Flynn has relied on Early Doucet early in games, and this test should be no different for the LSU passing game. The closer this game stays, the better the day Doucet will have.

Offense: Oklahoma State has been nothing short of awful all season long, and whether it continues against Texas Tech is besides the point. Texas Tech's offense is one of the best in the country and will shread the OSU secondary all game long.

Defense: When Maryland and Wake Forest get together it's going to be a low scoring affair. Maryland didn't show much on offense against an average West Virginia unit, so don't look for them to fair much better against a solid Demon Decons defense.

#20 Texas A&M (3-0) at. Miami (FL) (2-1)
#12 South Carolina (3-0) at. #2 LSU (3-0)
Iowa (2-1) at. #9 Wisconsin (3-0)
#22 Georgia (2-1) at. #16 Alabama (3-0)
#21 Kentucky (3-0) at. Arkansas (1-1)
Maryland (2-1) at. Wake Forest (1-2)
Texas Tech (3-0) at. Oklahoma State (1-2)
Connecticut (3-0) at. Pittsburgh (2-1)
Oregon State (2-1) at. Arizona State (3-0)
Washington (2-1) at. UCLA (2-1)

Six Time's a Charm?

Six. The number of strings on a standard guitar. The number of points you get for a touchdown. The number of main characters on Friends. The number of Longhorn football players arrested since June.

Can we blame these arrests on national celebrities like Paris Hilton, OJ (wait… nevermind), Michael Vick, and others who live their lives as if the law doesn’t apply to them? Although this sense of invincibility may definitely be a factor, we don’t live in a world where PlayStation is reality and World of Warcraft constitutes real friendship. We live in a society where laws exist and are meant to be followed, even if your name appears in the Austin American Statesman on a weekly basis. In addition, we should not fault six immature adolescents for the Texas football fall from grace. That blame lies solely with one person: Mack Brown.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Mack. He’s a good coach with the ability to recruit parents as well as young athletes and treats his staff with respect. He is successful on the field and brought home a National Championship just a few short years ago. Honorably, on Tuesday, after Texas freshman James Henry became the sixth Longhorn to get arrested since June, Mack stood in front of the media and personally took responsibility for the troubling series of events. He promised to revisit the causes of such problems and held himself accountable. Honorable… but not enough.

This is crisis time for Texas football and especially for Mack Brown. The players that he recruits and their actions reflect directly on him, and indirectly on me as an alum and football fan. I can understand an isolated incident where a player gets into trouble because of a stupid, immature action. After all, they are mostly teenagers, and you can’t tell me that you were a complete angel at that age. But six incidents in three months? There is something fundamentally wrong with the way players are being recruited, managed, and ultimately disciplined for their actions.

Case in point: Henry Melton and Sergio Kindle were reinstated after serving a Mack Brown-imposed three-game suspension for drunk driving over the summer. In contrast, six Penn State players were arrested for fighting in April of this year and as a consequence, the entire football team cleans the bleachers after every home game in the fall. Collective discipline versus an individual slap on the wrist. You make the call.

The bottom line is that Mack Brown made a mistake and is ill-prepared to deal with the consequences. Apparently a large group of young Longhorn football players are more interested in building “street cred” than being productive members of society. I do hold them personally accountable for their actions, but Mack recruited them. Strike One. When you sign a player, you sign his personality, his baggage, and his quirks alongside his athletic ability. Not convinced? Ask Miami about Ricky.

Every time Mack disciplines a player for an action, isolating him from the team in an effort to distance himself from the problem, he lays the groundwork for future indiscretion. You can’t tell me a player will be less likely to act out if he knows his 90 closest (not to mention very large) friends will be picking up empty Cracker Jack boxes and mopping up spilled coke for 5 hours every Sunday. Strike Two.

To be blunt, I might have trouble watching UT football without an air of cynicism and contempt from here on out. At least there are three strikes in baseball…

Week 4 Spotlight

Suiting Up this week for Charlie Weis' Stomach Staples:


Graham Harrell- The 2nd most prolific QB playing in the best offense in the nation. Mike Leach has engineered another great scoring offense that racks up huge numbers weekly. Harrell leads the nation in passing yards and TDs. A no-brainer against a porous Oklahoma St. defense.

Matt Stafford- Mark Richt teams always play well on the road in the SEC. Stafford is not going to make mistakes and that will help this Georgia team out. Stafford only has 1 INT on the year. He should be able to put up some good numbers, even on the road.

PJ Hill- One of the top rushers playing against a team that just lost to Iowa St. is a recipe for a big fantasy weekend. Hill has 400 yards and 6 TDs on the year. Wisconsin is going to lean heavily on him as they rack up yards against the Hawkeyes.

Ken Lattimore- One of the leading rushers in the ACC. He has already scored 6 TDs and 300 yards. Lattimore really makes this offense go. Wake has been a disspointing team thus far this year after winning the ACC last year. They won't be able to slow down Lattimore much

Michael Crabtree- The top WR in the country, leading in yards and TDs. Crabtree will catch about 10 balls against the weak Cowboy defense. It is hard to argue with production.

DJ Hall- 300 yards receiving and 2 TDs have made Hall a go to guy in the SEC. Hall leads the Alabama passing attack, with kid genius Major Applewhite calling the plays. The former QB, now offensive Coordinator, will get the ball into Hall's hands early and often.

Arkansas- Felix Jones and Darren McFadden are the best RB combo in the nation. Kentucky is not known for their defense. The game will be a shootout with Arkansas racking up close to 300 yards rushing.

LSU- Best Defense in the nation. Period. South Carolina and the "Ol' Ball Coach" will try to bring it, but LSU, at home, will clamp down and hold the Gamecocks to less than 2 TDs.

#20 Texas A&M (3-0) at. Miami (FL) (2-1)
#12 South Carolina (3-0) at. #2 LSU (3-0)
Iowa (2-1) at. #9 Wisconsin (3-0)
#22 Georgia (2-1) at. #16 Alabama (3-0)
#21 Kentucky (3-0) at. Arkansas (1-1)
Maryland (2-1) at. Wake Forest (1-2)
Texas Tech (3-0) at. Oklahoma State (1-2)
Connecticut (3-0) at. Pittsburgh (2-1)
Oregon State (2-1) at. Arizona State (3-0)
Washington (2-1) at. UCLA (2-1)

Sorting out the Texas Problems

With the rash of arrests since June reaching seven yesterday, many think the Texas program is in danger of becoming the next Miami, if they already haven't become it. Mack Brown doesn't think there is a problem, and thinks the current system he has in place will fix the problems. We here at Drinking the Forty are disgusted that this is our football team, and think Mack Brown is wrong in his assesment. We think there is a serious problem, and it should be dealt with swiftly and sternly. Therefore, we here at Drinking the Forty are proud to present the Texas Longhorn Disciplinary Chart.

A handy guide to assist Mack Brown with getting his program back on the right track...

Miss a class or a team meeting
While this is not the biggest offense, we think letting small transgressions go unpunished will lead to bigger problems.

Punishment
Spend the day dressed like a teletubby. Preferably the purple one.

Fail a test
Discipline in the classroom will carry over to discipline on and off the field. Making the players accountable everywhere they go and in everything they do will make them think before they act.

Punishment
They should be forced to sit and watch a WNBA game from start to finish. This will make studying seem much more appeasing.

Yay! Layups!

Charged with a misdemeanor
Whether you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, or if you had nothing to do with a crime, you have to change what you do, where you go, and who you hang out with.

Punishment
Take a page out of one of the most respected football coaches in the country's book, Joe Pa. For even the smallest of indescrestion, let them clean the stadium. That way they well have some experience when they have to clean the side of a highway.

Charged with a Felony
Too many players have done too much wrong this season. Just suspending them from the team isn't enough. They need to know that committing a crime is serious.

Punishment
If you can't ask offensive questions to John Kerry, you shouldn't be able to commit felonies.


Guilty of a Misdemeanor
Granted, if they're guilty of a crime they will most likely be excused from the team. But is that really enough?

Punishment*
I think there's no punishment worse than a night with OU Fan Allen Michael Beckett. Nothing like a sharp tug on the scrotum will straighten up a trouble maker.


Guilty of a Felony
This in inexcusable, and we as fans are angered and embarrased to have such people as a part of our program and university. As fans we want retribution.

Punishment**
Well they're going to prison anyways. Why not just take this with them.

http://www.sorrellspitbulls.com/pitbull_breeding_stand.html

*DTF does not actually condone the gripping of the scrotum in any circumstances.
**DTF does not actually condone the use of a breeding stand on anything or anyone.

Big XII Power Rankings

With three weeks in the books, favorites, contenders, and pretenders are emerging in the Big XII. What better time than now to sort it out with the first installment of the Big XII Power Rankings....

FAVORTIES
1.) #3 Oklahoma (3-0) W - 54-3 vs. Utah State
- There is no doubt that Oklahoma has established themselves as the class of the Big XII. With three convincing wins over 0.5 of a real football team (Miami), Oklahoma has shown off a completely balanced attack with a stout defense. Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray have stepped in and played outstanding, while the offensive and defensive lines anchor this team, and could be the best in the country.

2.) #7 Texas (3-0) W - 35-32 at Central Florida
- Another less than impressive win by the Longhorns. They have the offensive firepower and the talent on defense to make a serious challenge to Oklahoma for the Big XII title, but terrible play from the offensive line and inconsistency in the secondary is holding them back. That is if they can field a team due to arrests.

CONTENDERS
3.) #25 Missouri (3-0) W - 52-24 vs. Western Michigan
- With two wins on the road against Illinois and Ole Miss to start the season, Missouri gets the nod over the rest of the Big XII. They have shown their offense to be a powerful unit that can put points on the board, but the defense will need to step up and perform if they hope to make a serious challenge at a Big XII title.

4.) #20 Texas A&M (3-0) W - 54-14 vs. Louisiana-Monroe
- The Ags have one of the most potent running attacks in the country behind the three-headed monster of Lane, Goodson, and McGee. The real questions lie with whether this attack can become a balanced one, and develop some sort of passing game. The defense will need to improve as well, the most glaring example being the 47-45 3OT win against Fresno State. We'll find out a lot about A&M this weekend when they travel to Miami.

5.) #24 Nebraska (2-1) L - 49-31 vs. #1 USC

- This game wasn't as close as the final score makes it out to be, as Nebraska was throttled by the #1 team in the country. They hung tough for about a quarter and a half before the run defense and quarterback Sam Keller were exposed. They should've lost against Wake Forest last week, and Sam Keller doesn't look to be the player that was supposed to return the Cornhuskers to greatness.

6.) Texas Tech (3-0) W - 59-24 at Rice
- Graham Harrell and the Texas Tech offense continue to put up monsterous numbers in the early going. With Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Missouri, and Texas all having questionable defenses, the Red Raiders hope this is the year that they can vault themselves into the top teir of the division. The question as always is how the defense will hold up and how the offense will fare against more talented opposition.

PRETENDERS
7.) Kansas (3-0) W - 45-13 vs. Toledo
- When I wrote this piece yesterday (before my computer deleted everything) I had Kansas in the Contenders category, as kind of a gift for going (3-0). Well today, I've come to my senses and bumped them back down to where they belong. They will go (4-0) before they actually have to face non-high school teams that don't have directions located in their name.

8.) Kansas State (2-1) W - 61-10 vs. Missouri State
- The further we get away from that tough loss at Auburn, the less impressive it looks as Auburn now sits at (1-2) and should be (0-3). Kansas State will have the bye this week to get themselves healthy and look to try and catch a Longhorn team looking ahead to OU, napping for the second straight year.

9.) Colorado (1-2) L - 16-6 vs. Florida State
- Colorado has faced the toughest early season schedule in the Big XII, with games against Colorado State, Arizona State, and Florida State. A team clearly still rebuilding in its second year under Dan Hawkins, they have shown a lot of progress with their late win over the Rams, and a solid performance against Florida State. They will win a few games in the Big XII, but still have another two years to rebuild.

10.) Baylor (2-1) W - 34-27 vs. Texas State

- It's never impressive to beat 1-AA opponents by 6 points, unless of course you're Michigan, and a 6 point win would be a blessing. Baylor looks like they are no better than a year ago, as they got beaten handily by TCU to open the year, and could not put away Texas State. Their Texas Tech styled passing game is obviously not as potent as the original, though their defense is pretty close.

11.) Iowa State (1-2) W - 15-13 vs. Iowa
- I'm not sure if Iowa State got lucky, is starting to make progress, or the Big Ten is really that bad. Either way, it was the marquee win that Gene Chizik needed to begin the rebuilding process at Iowa State. Losing to 1-AA Northern Iowa at home, I suppose gives the state championship to Northern Iowa, and also keeps Iowa State towards the bottom of the Big XII.

12.) Oklahoma State (1-2) L - 41-23 at Troy
- This game was not that close, and it had to have been painful for Cowboys fans that thought this was their year to challenge. Not only is their high powered attack been derailed thus far, quarterback Bobby Reid, who was supposed to have a Heisman caliber year, finds himself on the bench, after an atrocious first two games. Troy is not a bad team, but Oklahoma State shouldn't have been down 41-10 after three quarters. This team needs to figure out something and quick.

This is What Longhorn Football is Now: Embarrassing

Its not like anyone can disagree or retort. This is just sad.

With Leather...

"Worst Season Ever..." ANOTHER TEXAS PLAYER ARRESTED

Honestly, I am at the point were I would RATHER be in Notre Dame's situation right now. I would rather be 0-3 and not scoring a touchdown than have another player arrested. I don't even have anything else to write right now. Too angry....

James Henry Arrested.

Brandon Foster Still Racking up Awards

A week after receiving the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week awards, Brandon Foster follows with a Defensive Player of the Week award. Foster came into the season being viewed as a big time liability for the Texas defense. While you cannot compare his play to the past stars of the Texas secondary, Foster is still holding his own.

Foster finished the UCF game with 7 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception returned for a touchdown.

The fun part of suspensions

When every player on your team gets suspended, it puts you in a bad mood. However, when everyone on your team gets reinstated, it's almost like Christmas. Texas reinstated WR Billy Pittman, LB Sergio Kindle, and DE Henry Melton today and will rejoin the team in time to be available for Saturday's game against Rice.

WR Billy Pittman will be a welcome addition as Jordan Shipley has been dealing with hamstring problems and Limas Sweed has been hobbled by a nagging ankle injury. Pittman is a much needed deep threat as Colt McCoy looks to be close to insanity from all the five yard passes he has had to throw. Pittman was probably our second best receiver, behind Sweed, coming into the season, and with the emergance of Nate Jones and Quan Cosby, the passing game could once again be potent.

LB Sergio Kindle's reinstatement is a very good addition as well. If he can live up to expectations as an impact linebacker that will be in the starting lineup sooner than later, then Texas fans can start to boast that we have a linebacker finally. If Kindle doesn't have the kind of impact we are hoping for, he will still be useful, because six mediocre linebackers is better than five mediocre linebackers, right?

I suppose the reinstatement of DE Henry Melton is also a welcome sign as well. While he will not have the impact that the other two's return will have, we all enjoy having Henry Melton back. Though I think we all were hoping he had turned out more like Javorskie Lane and less like Henry Melton, during his Longhorn career.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3024475

View from the Really Cheap Seats

While I didn't make it down to Orlando for the game, I did catch the broadcast on ESPN 2. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from the 35-32 victory at Central Florida.

The Good
Colt McCoy
In what seems to be the most frustrating job ever, Colt McCoy once again took what the defense gave him. He only tried to force a pass once and it was intercepted. Other than that Colt was extremely accurate. The most reassuring aspect of his game is his calmness and composure throughout the game. He had defensive lineman in his face the entire game and he is extremely elusive and stands tall in the pocket. Not the yardage numbers you would like, but he played well and was the reason the offense was effective.

Jamaal Charles
He had a great game running the ball, with not much room to do it. He made a lot out of nothing for many of his runs, and he finally showed his big play ability with the 46 yard touchdown run to seal the victory (even if the other team stopped because of the offsides penalty). The only real concern that cropped up from this game was the fumbles. A fumble on the two yard line that blew a touchdown opportunity and the fumble late in the 4th quarter that made the game an 11 point win, running out the clock, to a 3 point victory after a failed onside kick.

Wide Receivers
With Limas Sweed in the locker room and Billy Pittman still suspended, Nate Jones and Quan Cosby showed off their abilities as possession receivers. They did a great job of getting open all game, and anytime anything was thrown at them, they made the catch. Cosby had several amazing catches when Colt stuck the ball close. For the most part, McCoy was accurate, but even when it was off, Cosby and Jones made spectacular catches. Once the deep threats return, look for this passing game to be very dangerous. Jermichael Finley continued to improve as a third down safety valve.

Ryan Bailey
He rebounded nicely from a missed field goal in the third half. He had several long field goals in wet conditions at crucial points of the game, and all of them were directly down the middle. The most telling field goal he had, was when Texas had a 3rd and 10, and Mack decided to throw a wide receiver screen, which set up the field goal and picked up three yards. Bailey rewarded that faith and drilled the field goal. I questioned the decision at the time and still do, but it's nice to know that Bailey is looking like a reliable clutch kicker.

The Bad
Secondary
The secondary still is inconsistent. They showed great athleticism and closing speed on several defensed passes, but as a whole, the unit is not very good. They are giving far too much cushion to a passing offense that was averaging around 150 yards a game. There were several opportunities to convert third and long, and Central Florida converted a 3rd and 8 and a 3rd and 14 on their two touchdown drives. Texas can't cover, and Oklahoma and Texas Tech are licking their chops.

Linebackers
The linebacking corps failed to impress me. They don't come off as very athletic, they take poor tackling angles, and they don't make anything happen. They get lost in the defensive line and don't tackle very well. There's nothing you can really say about it, but you can stick anyone you want in the linebacking corps and you wouldn't be able to distinguish their performance from anyone else's.

Coaching Staff
You can look anywhere you want to place blame for the coaching staff. Offensively, we ran out of shotgun too much. The offensive line isn't very good, and having them try and hold blocks for 3-4 seconds as you run out of shotgun going towards the sidelines isn't going to work. Charles broke off a few big runs, but Texas couldn't consistently run the ball all game long. They were far more effective out of the single back format, and Colt under center. Just pound the ball out of the single back formation and throw out of shotgun, you might not fool too many people, but we're talented enough it doesn't really matter. You can mix it up, but running out of shotgun consistantly doesn't fool anyone, because Colt McCoy isn't a threat to keep the ball and run.

Defensively, Texas needs to continue to bring pressure. On third and long and late in the game, Texas sat back, and let Central Florida pick them apart for 15 yards a piece. The secondary can't cover, and if we don't bring somebody, the quarterback will have too much time.

George O'Leary outcoached the Texas staff and kept his team in the game. We know that Mack isn't the best gameday coach and we accept it, because of the recruiting side of it. But going for two to make it a 13 point game instead of a 12 point game almost cost Texas the game. Decisions like that shoot your team in the foot. He also can't afford to be passive. Setting your team up for field goals on third and 10? Texas made 5 of 6 field goals, and it's a sign of not being aggressive enough once you cross the 50. We let Central Florida stay in that football game. They bounced back from 23-10, they wouldn't have tried to come back from 31-10.

The Ugly
Offensive Line
This will be the biggest reason Texas won't be able to win the Big XII title this season. The offensive line can't run block and they certainly can't pass block. It seemed like every pass play Colt was delivering the ball as he was getting knocked down, or he had to dodge two or three pass rushers before getting rid of the football. They also are not opening up holes for the running game. Central Florida was able to play Texas close because of a good gameplan. They were able to stop the running game without loading up the box, which allowed them to drop back into coverage and force Colt to dump the ball off underneath. This forced Texas to make 15 and 16 play drives to score, and eventually the drives stalled, resulting in field goals and keeping Central Florida close. This was all possible because Texas cannot lineup and pick up 6 yards a carry and force a team to stick 8 guys in the box. If Texas could force a team to stop the run, then Colt McCoy will be able to make the big plays in the passing game that we saw his freshman season. Right now, the offensive line can't run block, and Colt is running for his life, because they can't pass block either.

The Strength of Schedule Dilemna

For the past few years, Texas has had to come into the college football season fighting perception. The perception that Texas was a good football team, but played in a weak conference and did not deserve to be listed among the elite teams in college football. If you took a closer look at the schedule, it usually was warranted.

Over the past two years, Texas has worked to fight that perception, scheduling a dangerous home and home with Ohio State, and bringing on teams like TCU and Central Florida, a team that is not a complete walkover. To combat a conference that I would probably put behind the Big East at this point, Texas needs their games against TCU and Central Florida to be convincing and stand up. Well, the win against TCU was convincing. Texas looked like an athletic and multi-talented team on offense and defense for at least a half of that game. It was a game that Texas could point to when TCU went 11-1, with one of the conferences best defenses.

Thursday night, TCU returned the favor, screwing over the Horns with a loss on the road against Air Force. Granted, Air Force is always a solid team, but blowing a 17-3 4th quarter lead, is just painful. It puts into question the type of year the Horned Frogs can put together, as they fall to 1-2, after blowing a 10 point lead against Texas and a 14 point lead in one quarter against Air Force. The psychological damage done by two winnable games gone array could dismantle the entire season for TCU. It is scary to see whether we are looking at a 7-5 team come November and saying, why didn't we beat them worse?

Texas can't afford to have TCU and Central Florida not pan out as quality opponents. When your conference consists of four pop warner teams in the Big XII North (Kansas may be good, it's just hard to tell against High School teams) and two flawed teams in Missouri (No defense) and Nebraska (Not flawed? Wait until USC this weekend), it is difficult to be taken seriously. Even in the Big XII South, that high powered, unstoppable offense of Oklahoma State seems to be put on hold, Texas Tech will always blow out weak opponents and come up short against real talent, and Texas A&M still appears not ready to take the next step after less than stellar performances against Montana State and Fresno State.

It once again appears the Big XII title will come down to Oklahoma and Texas. With Oklahoma somehow turning into a national title contender over night and looking down right scary, it means Texas will either need to pull a big upset against the Sooners, or hope for a BCS at large birth. With TCU faltering, the propostion of having a top 50 strength of schedule and be taken seriously on a national stage looks increasingly difficult.

Week 3 Spotlight

What better way to enjoy a great thing like college football, then with Fantasy College Football. Every week the Drinking the Forty staff will be picking their fantasy team from the top 10 matchups of the upcoming week in College Football. Below, our picks...

Last Week
Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Service rebounded from a deficit Week 1 to surge back, winning week 2 and taking the overall lead. It must've been the team name that inspired the troops. Or maybe it was Dennis Dixon running and throwing all over Michigan.

Quarterbacks
It worked last week with a running quarterback, so let's continue that with West Virginia quarterback Pat White and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Pat White takes on a Maryland team that always plays WVU tough, but struggles with the athleticism the Mountaineers possess. They usually can find a way to stop Slaton, which will let White throw more and break some big scramble plays. If we've learned one thing from Tennessee, is that they have no offense and struggle with pure speed. Enter Florida. Tim Tebow should continue to put up points with the bevy of weapons he has to work with.

Runningbacks
As bad as Michigan has been, Mike Hart has been really good. With a freshman quarterback starting, and Notre Dame's run defense making the trip (or not making the trip) to the Big House, Hart has a chance to have another big day. The closest thing to LaDanian Tomlinson in college, Darren McFadden is a threat to run, catch, and throw the ball, and should be used in every aspect to overcome a tough Alabama squad.

Wide Recievers
It is pretty much a given that Colt Brennan will throw for at least 450 yards a game. Well, someone has to catch all those footballs, and look for Ryan Grice-Mullins to pull in a lot of those balls. Michigan State's Devin Thomas has been one of the few strong points for the Spartans this season and Pittsburgh's defense has struggled. Look for Thomas to continue to put up big numbers as the Spartans will most likely go 5-0 before losing their last 6, like they do every season.

Offense
Hawaii scores points. Lots and lots of points. They also have no defense, so it's assured that they will get the ball back quickly. They may be playing a solid UNLV team, but they will get their points.

Defense
Nebraska looked shakey this past weekend against Wake Forest. Sam Keller has yet to play well, and Nebraska was lucky to walk away with a win. This weekend, the USC Trojans come to town, and they have a defense loaded with NFL prospects. Don't look for the upset as the Trojans will show they are still a tier above the Huskers.

#4 West Virginia (2-0) at Maryland (2-0)
Pittsburgh (2-0) at Michigan State (2-0)
Virginia (1-1) at North Carolina (1-1)
#22 Tennessee (1-1) at #5 Florida (2-0)
#10 Ohio State (2-0) at Washington (2-0)
Notre Dame (0-2) at Michigan (0-2)
#16 Arkansas (1-0) at Alabama (2-0)
#1 USC (1-0) at #14 Nebraska (2-0)
#21 Boston College (2-0) at #15 Georgia Tech (2-0)
#24 Hawaii (2-0) at UNLV (1-1)

Lyle Sendlein to Get First NFL Start...

I just wanted to get one positive story up today. Former UT center Lyle Sendlein will get his first start for the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday. Lyle will be taking over for the injured Alan Johnson who went down against the 49ers. Sendlein gets the distinct pleasure of having Matt Leinarts hands between his legs daily. Commented Nick Lachey, "Been there, felt that."

Now, let's just hope Sendlein isn't arrest some time between now and Sunday for eating a baby or something....

You Have Got to be F*CKING Kidding Me!!!

The only Longhorn ever to beat OU all 4 years as a starter, Peter Gardere, was arrested last night on suspicion of DWI. Jesus Humberto Christ, will this ever stop?! Not only are former Longhorns being put behind bars faster than Paris Hilton & Lindsey Lohan, now former players are falling into trouble as well. I am literally feeling ill right now.

What the hell is next?! Darrell Royal free basing crack? Earl Campbell being caught with a sack of rooffies? I may not even be shocked at this point.

Peter "The Great"

Oh, and a small side note, Tyrell Gatewood has been suspended from all team activities pending the conclusion of the legal process (meaning we will never see him in a UT uniform again). Oh and I forgot to mention earlier that future great DB Ben Wells was in the car and was given a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia.

You think that Gatewood and Gardere traded some fun stories about gridiron greatness?

Strong Start for Texas Soccer, But...

...Don't hold your breath. After signing the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation in both 2003 and 2004, the Texas women failed to make it past the Sweet 16, a feat still elusive to Petrucelli and the gang. But, alas, this year could be different. Another top recruiting class and the returning prowess of US National Team Player Stephanie Logterman and All-American Kasey Moore make the Longhorns one of the teams to beat this year.

After a strong 3-0 start, including a 2-1 victory over top-ranked UCLA and 1-0 shutout of Arizona St. on the road, Texas was ranked third in the nation going into last Sunday's game against Arizona. An early goal and a less-than inspired offensive performance left Longhorn fans a bit disappointed, but not altogether unsatisfied with the weekend road trip to Arizona.

Not traditionally a stellar road team, Texas managed to pull out 2 of 3 early season road games, giving the women a confidence that could potentially last well into the season (well, at least until Big XII play starts). Texas has always played well at home, possibly due to the intimidating large-stadium atmosphere of Mike Myers, or just that our women really enjoy sleeping in their own beds. In any case, a string of 6 consecutive home games could mean that we will be looking at the best 10-game start in UT Soccer history. Stay tuned...

Upcoming games:
09-14 Fri UT-San Antonio 7:00pm
09-18 Tue LSU 7:00pm
09-21 Fri Houston 7:00pm
09-23 Sun Stephen F. Austin 7:00pm
09-28 Fri Wright State 7:00pm
09-30 Sun Texas Tech 7:00pm

"Gimme Back My Wins!"

The Oklahoma Sooners now want their wins back after they were taken away by the NCAA for violations of NCAA rules. Former QB Rhett Bomar and other Sooners were have found to have accepted lots of money for summer work they did not actually do. The NCAA found that this combined with past violations, necessitated a forfieture of the games played by Rhett Bomar in the 2005 season.

Oklahoma says that Bomar should be punished, not the team because it was an individual problem and not a team problem. Wow, that looks good for the current and future players. Nice to see that OU will throw you under the bus when it is HIGHLY likely that there were some people in the OU program and administration that knew of this conduct. And, really, what are the chance that NO ONE else on the team was doing the same thing? Probably about the same chances that there will be no more Longhorn arrests this year....

Week 3 Spotlight

What better way to enjoy a great thing like college football, then with Fantasy College Football. Every week the Drinking the Forty staff will be picking their fantasy team from the top 10 matchups of the upcoming week in College Football. Below, our picks...


Charlie Weis' Stomach Staples

QB- Colt Brennan
Really a no brainer when he is available. He is top QB in the nation. Brennan has already passed for almost 1,000 and 10 TDs in two games. There is little to think that UNLV can slow down this powerful offense too much. And even if they are slowed a little, Brennan will still have better stats than 95% of the nation.

QB- John David Booty
Being a USC QB means that your stats sheet will be filled up by the end of the year. USC struggled some in their opener against Idaho and they have suffered a few injuries. However, Booty and USC are still loaded at the skill positions and he looks to continue to rack up Heisman-like numbers.

RB- Tashard Choice
Two games, 300 yards rushing and 4 TD has put Choice at the top of the running back race in America. Choice ripped up the porous Notre Dame defense and Samford. Boston College will provide a bit more of a stout defense, but nothing that Tashard Choice won't be able to handle.

RB- Steve Slaton
Slaton has been a stats machine for his entire West Virginia career. He and QB Pat White run over and around opponents at will. Maryland does not have anywhere close the ability to stop Slaton . Oh, and he is also the second leading receiver on the team.

WR- Mario Manningham
With all of Michigan's struggles this year, Manningham has proved to be a constant positive in this otherwise disaster of a year. Manningham leads the team with 11 receptions. With Freshman Ryan Mallet getting his first start, he will be looking to the most reliable receiver on the team. Manningham will see it early and ofter when the Wolverines put the ball in the air.

WR- Darius Reynaud
Though West Virginia dose not throw the ball as much as some teams, when the ball is in the air, you can bet is is headed in Reynaud's way. Reynaud has 14 receptions for 226 and 3 TD already this year. When Pat White can't run or toss to Slaton, the ball will be in Reynaud's hands.

Offense- West Virginia
One of, if not the most powerful offenses in the nation was shut down by Marshall in the 1st half last week, but really turned it on and finished in impressive fashion. Since White and Slaton have been in the Mountaineer backfield, WV has not really been able to be stopped in any game. What are the chance that Maryland will?

Defense- Ohio State
The hallmark of Jim Tressel teams have been defense. If not for a safety, Ohio State would not have let Akron score any points. Oh, and the Buckeye defense has not allowed a TD yet this year. Washington will score, but it won't be many.

#4 West Virginia (2-0) at Maryland (2-0)
Pittsburgh (2-0) at Michigan State (2-0)
Virginia (1-1) at North Carolina (1-1)
#22 Tennessee (1-1) at #5 Florida (2-0)
#10 Ohio State (2-0) at Washington (2-0)
Notre Dame (0-2) at Michigan (0-2)
#16 Arkansas (1-0) at Alabama (2-0)
#1 USC (1-0) at #14 Nebraska (2-0)
#21 Boston College (2-0) at #15 Georgia Tech (2-0)
#24 Hawaii (2-0) at UNLV (1-1)

Apparently it is REALLY Hard Not to Get Arrested

In what has become almost laughable (if it didn't make me want to throw up) another Texas Longhorn football player has been arrested. Safety Tyrell Gatewood was book, in Austin, on charges of possession of a dangerous drug.

Tyrell Gatewood Arrested

It's hard to even know what to think anymore. It can't possibly this hard to keep from getting arrested in Austin. I cannot imagine Mack is going to be please with this latest incident and I have a feeling we will no longer be seeing Mr. Gatewood's smiling face in our weekly program. You might remember Tyrell Gatewood from such arrests as "Tarell Brown & Tyrell Gatewood Arrested and Suspended Before Ohio State Game 2006." Good times.

Longhorns' Offense Adjusting to Strengths

Nice article in the Dallas Morning News today about how Mack & Co. wish they could have a power running game, but are having to adjust based on the strengths of the 2007 team. Colt and the offense should be geared to pass first and then set up the run that way. It is nice to see that Mack & Greg are realizing this now.

As Greg Davis said:

"We felt in training camp that we were going to need to be a team that can play from under the center, in the gun, three wides, two tight ends, two backs, one back, because the zone read is not going to be a huge part of what Colt McCoy does."

Finally...

Big XII Recap: Week 2

#16 Nebraska (2-0) 20, Wake Forest (0-2) 17
-Nebraska faced their first test of the season on the road against Wake Forest. While they came out on top, Nebraska did not look good as Sam Keller continued to struggle as his second game as starter. The defense also struggled as they gave up 236 yards on the ground to Wake Forest. They will need to really improve running the ball, on defense, and need a big game from Sam Keller to have a chance to beat #1 USC this weekend in Lincoln.

#5 Oklahoma (2-0) 51, Miami, FL (1-1) 13
-Oklahoma absolutely destroyed their opponent for the second week in a row. However, this week looked much more impressive as they dismantled a very good Miami defense. Oklahoma was led by quarterback Sam Bradford as he threw for 200 yards and 5 touchdowns. The defense once again showed why they are one of the top units in the country as they held Miami to 139 total yards.

#23 Texas A&M (2-0) 47, Fresno State (1-1) 45, 3 OT
- Texas A&M won a thriller at home as they defeated Fresno State in triple overtime. Texas A&M avoided the upset as they racked up 318 yards on the ground, showing their powerful running attack, as Stephen McGee and Javorskie Lane both ran for 100 yards. The defense once again looked weak as they gave up 399 yards to Fresno State. Texas A&M will need to improve on defense and prove that they can beat teams through the air (79 yards passing) if they hope to be a contender in the Big XII.

Missouri (2-0) 38, Mississippi (1-1) 25
- For the second week in a row Missouri showed off their high powered offense led by quarterback Chase Daniel (330 yards and 5 touchdowns). They simply out scored Mississippi as they racked up 559 yards of offense. Their defense was nowhere near as effective as they gave up 534 yards to a Mississippi team that is not known for their offense. Missouri resembles Oklahoma State from a year ago.

Northern Iowa (2-0) 24, Iowa State (0-2) 13
- It is obvious Gene Chizik has his work cut out for him as Iowa State lost their second straight game at home. While the offense improved, gaining 399 yards, it was the four turnovers that doomed the Cyclones. The run defense will need to improve and Brett Meyer will have to do even more for this offense if they hope to have a chance to win some games this season.

Baylor (1-1) 42, Rice (0-2) 17
- Baylor came out throwing and didn't look back against the Owls. Showing off their spread offense they threw for 423 yards and 6 touchdowns against the Owls secondary. Led by quarterback Blake Szymanski, the Bears showed off an offense that looked very much like Texas Tech. However, they now stand at 1-1, beating inferior teams and struggling against good teams (TCU, 27-0 L), much like Texas Tech.

Kansas (2-0) 62, Southeastern Louisiana (0-2) 0
- Kansas played a weak opponent for the second week in a row and rolled over a weak opponent for the second week in a row. They racked up 501 yards and only gave up 75 against a weak Southeastern Louisiana team. It has yet to be seen whether their opponents are that bad, or whether Kansas, and their balanced offense and solid defense is looking to be a dark horse candidate in the always weak Big XII North.

Texas Tech (2-0) 45, UTEP (1-1) 31
- Texas Tech overcame a 21-7 deficit to outscore UTEP 28-3 in the second half. Graham Harrell led the way with 484 yards and 4 touchdowns as Texas Tech's defense looked susceptible, but was able to turn it around in the second half. If Texas Tech's defense can play at least decent, their offense will win them football games, as they did against UTEP.

Oklahoma State (1-1) 42, Florida Atlantic (1-1) 6
- Oklahoma State bounced back from their loss against Georgia and tried to get their offense back on track against Florida Atlantic. They displayed a balanced attack as they threw and ran for over 200 yards, on their way to over 450 yards of total offense. The defense played much better as they held Florida Atlantic to 203 total yards, but that was to be expected, since it was Florida Atlantic.

Kansas State (1-1) 34, San Jose State (0-2) 14
- Kansas State rebounded from a tough loss at Auburn and put together a solid win against San Jose State. They racked up 425 yards of offense as Josh Freeman threw for 272 yards. However, he still needs to improve in his decision making as he was intercepted twice. James Johnson had 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Arizona State (2-0) 33, Colorado (1-1) 14
- After an emotional win last week against Colorado State, Colorado came back down to earth as they were beaten handily by Arizona State, after jumping out to a 14-0 lead. Despite playing well in the 1st quarter, Rudy Carpenter threw for 276 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Arizona State's defense shut down Colorado. Colorado problems started with their inability to establish their running game as they were held to 39 yards on the ground.