Mack Brown has stepped down as long time Texas Longhorns coach and in steps Charlie Strong and with him he brings a toughness that the Longhorns have been missing the last few years. Charlie has med a few dismissals and suspensions already and while it may not be a help to the team this year he is setting the standard for years to come. Preview & schedule are below.
The offense was solid last year, putting up 29.3 ppg, but they have a chance to be better this year, especially is David Ash can stay healthy. Ash did lose WR’s Mike Davis (Graduation) and Kendall Sanders (Suspension), but still Jaxon Shipley and Marcus Johnson return and they have added a #25 WR out of HS in Armanti Foreman. The running games is stacked and is rated 6th best in the nation. Malcom Brown and Jonathan Gray were both rated the #1 RB’s coming out of HS and last year combined for 1684 and 13 TDs. Overall the top 8 ball carriers from last year are all back. This RB corps will operate behind one of the best OLs in the league, that is big strong and with solid depth. The defense for the Longhorns has slipper the last few year, but they have 8 starters back on this side of the ball and just very well may be one of the 5 best defenses in the nation. Cedric Reed is back to lead a DL rated 4th in the nation after having 10 sacks and 9 TFL last year. NT Malcom Brown is back also after having 2 sacks and 10 TFL last year. The LB corps rates as 2nd best in the nation and hopes that senior Jordan Hicks (#1 LB out of HS) can stay on the field after missing much of the last 2 years. The defensive backfield is the weakest unit on this defense, but still rates out at 9th in the nation. Plenty of speed and depth in this secondary.
The Longhorns have a new coach and a new attitude this year, but to get there so far they have lost a few pieces to their puzzle. This is an offense that will be better than last year, especially if Ash can stay healthy and the running game produces as expected. Charlie Strong is more known as a defensive minded coach and boy did he land in the right spot, as this Longhorn defense is probable the best in the Big 12, while also being a top 5 defense nationally. This defense is loaded for sure. The Longhorns do have BYU at home and UCLA in a neutral site game in the first 3 weeks of the year, so they need to get off to a good start or the pressure will be on Charlie right away. They get Baylor and TCU at home, but have to travel to Kansas State and Oklahoma State, plus have Oklahoma in a neutral site game. The Longhorns may have trouble mating last year's win total of 8, but they should still go bowling. KEY TREND: 11-1-1 ATS as road dogs of 2 or more if off a SU win.
2014 Texas Longhorns Football Schedule
Sat, Aug 30th, 2014 North Texas
Sat, Sep 6th, 2014 BYU
Sat, Sep 13th, 2014 UCLA
Sat, Sep 27th, 2014 at Kansas
Sat, Oct 4th, 2014 Baylor
Sat, Oct 11th, 2014 at Oklahoma
Sat, Oct 18th, 2014 Iowa State
Sat, Oct 25th, 2014 at Kansas State
Sat, Nov 1st, 2014 at Texas Tech
Sat, Nov 8th, 2014 West Virginia
Sat, Nov 15th, 2014 at Oklahoma State
Thu, Nov 27th, 2014 TCU
Info gathered From Phil Steele's CFB Preview and Athlon Sports
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Golden Nugget Games Of The Year
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