2014-15 Football Previews – (Big 12) – Longhorns
It is time for a reset down in Austin. There were definitely some good times for Mack Brown but is seems like things got a little stale so in come Charlie Strong to rattle some cages.
Texas Longhorns
- Head Coach: Charlie Strong
- 2013 Record: 8-5
- Gambling Odds to win National Championship: 60/1
- Gambling Odds to win (B12): 7/1
I think it is a good hire but only time will tell if he is the right man for the job. If he is this team could make a huge leap this season because there is no doubting there is talent down there. I don’t like their QB situation though.
They should be able to get better players for that position in the future.
Strengths:
If you like recruiting rankings than the Longhorns should have one of the best backfields in America. Malcolm Brown and Jonathan Gray were both highly touted but their production has not met expectations.
Strong’s influence and commitment to a more physical style of football should benefit both of them.
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The defense could turn from average to elite this season. There are 8 returning starters and it is expected to be dominated by juniors and seniors. All three linebackers return and I doubt that there is a bigger more athletic group in the county.
Tackling has been lax lately but that is a fundamental thing so it could easily turnaround.
Part of that defense is Cedric Reed, a senior who may be the best rush end in all of the B12. He was overshadowed by teammate Jackson Jeffcoat last season but he racked up 10 sacks and is not a 225 pound flyer off the edge, he can hold up at the point of attack too.
If the Longhorns D is elite he will be a big part of it.
Weaknesses:
I know he has had some tough acts to follow but I am not a fan of David Ash at quarterback. Last year was a write off due to injury and I think there are still a lot of questions to be answered. He is more game manager than star and on that team this may be enough.
When they need him to lead them from behind it will be a challenge.
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Not helping matters much is the fact that the receiver position has not been recruited well lately. The set of targets that Ash has at his disposal is not very promising as they lack the physicality to really challenge for ball the way you would like.
The combination with an underwhelming QB is not a good one.
As much as I think that moving from Brown to Strong is a positive. It might take longer than one season to really feel the changes that should get Texas back into the championship picture with regularity.
This is an experienced group and sometimes old habits die hard.
The question is how ready are they.
Gambling Prediction: 8-4
2014 Longhorns Schedule:
- Aug 30 – North Texas
- Sep 6 – BYU
- Sep 13 – UCLA (Arlington)
- Sep 27 – @Kansas
- Oct 4 – Baylor
- Oct 11 – Oklahoma (Dallas)
- Oct 18 – Iowa State
- Oct 25 – @Kansas State
- Nov 1 – @Texas Tech
- Nov 8 – West Virginia
- Nov 15 – @Oklahoma State
- Nov 27 – TCU
To echo above I love the hire of Strong but he is going to have to work with this group, it will take some time.
This year they have a tough schedule with UCLA coming to Texas and BYU no picnic plus the rest of the league games. This is going to be the year to play the Longhorns as underdogs which I think could be in 3 or 4 games.
Strong won’t let them be as careless as they have in the past and they are going to come close a few times this year before a breakthrough next.
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