College Confidential

Erin Andrews To Roam Sideline at TCU Game?

With TCU's game on the giant Four Lettered Saturday there was hope that Dancing With the Stars loser Erin Andrews would grace JerryWorld with her presence.
She isn't. Sorry.
Instead, the very talented Holly Rowe will be the ESPN sideline reporter who stalks the coaches to ask questions.
Rowe knows her stuff and is wildly underrated because she doesn't look like Andrews.
   Erin Andrews    vs.   Holly Rowe

You do the math.

On a more dull note, Brad Nessler will be handle the play by play for the game and Todd Blackledge provides hot air.

- Mac Engel
 

Stephen F. Austin Ready For Big 10/12

Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman drinks a hearty glass of dull before meeting with the media; something he probably learned from his NFL days where anything remotely interesting is strictly forbidden.
But The Sherminator crossed the line on Monday when he said this when asked about playing Division I-AA Stephen F. Austin on Saturday in the season opener.

“It’s no different than playing Texas or Nebraska or Oklahoma or Baylor or anyone else," Sherman told reporters.

This is very exciting news if you're a SFA fan; your Jacks are on the same field as Horns, Sooners, Huskers or Bears.

- Mac Engel

Texas Power Poll

Texas Power Poll, Week 1

 

Because Texas is only slightly smaller than the Pacific Ocean, the state needs its own power poll. The criteria is based on very strict criteria – gut instinct, paternal instinct, and extensive experience of picking games incorrectly. No fancy shamcny computer. We’re relying here on a Big Gulp of Obvious to recognize the state’s best teams.

 

Rank; 2010 Rec.; Comment; Next Game

1. Texas; 13-1; Calm down, Froggies and Frogettes. UT deserves to be here until it loses to Oklahoma; @ Rice, Sept. 4.

2. TCU; 12-1; Beat Oregon State and this changes. Pound Oregon State, this really changes; vs. Oregon St., Sept. 4.

3. Houston; 10-4; If former Cowboys d-coordinator Brian Stewart makes a marginal impact the Cougars will flirt with the BCS; vs. Texas State, Sept. 4.

4. Texas A&M; 6-7; The Wrecking Crew will be the Aggies offense. The defense is at least a year away; vs. Stephen F. Austin, Sept. 4.

5. Baylor; 4-8; Next to Viteks’ “Gut Pack”, the best thing in Waco is Robert Griffin’s talent; vs. Sam Houston State, Sept. 4.
6. Texas Tech; 9-4; Tommy Tuberville has no idea what he stepped into; this is a hard job; vs. SMU, Sept. 5.
7. UTEP; 4-8; Mike Price hasn't posted a winning record since '05 in El Paso. But this team is veteran-heavy and the offense should be good enough to slip past SMU in C-USA; Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Sept. 4.

8. SMU; 8-5; Had TCU not done what it did last season the nation would have recognized what June Jones did in Dallas; at Texas Tech, Sept. 5.

9. Rice; 2-10; They still have a team?; vs Texas, Sept. 4

10. North Texas; 2-10; The Todd Dodge era is running out of time. UTA may be better then the Mean Green this season; @ Clemson, Sept. 4

 

- Mac Engel

 

Texas picks Johnson as starting RB, Case McCoy as No. 2 QB

Texas tailback Cody Johnson, a 250-pounder who played primarily in short-yardage situations last season, will start Saturday’s season opener against Rice, coach Mack Brown said today.

Brown said the Longhorns plan to use all three members of its tailback tandem in the game but Johnson offers a strong “downhill” runner to set the tone against the Owls’ defense. Brown said he also plans to use Tre Newton, a Southlake Carroll graduate who led the team in rushing last season (552 yards), and Fozzy Whittaker against the Owls.

Monday marked the Longhorns’ first official depth chart since the team began fall drills. Brown said changes could occur before Saturday’s game. But as things stand today, in other depth-chart releated news:

Case McCoy, younger brother of former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, has edged Connor Wood in a battle of incoming freshmen to be the backup to starting quarterback Garrett Gilbert.

Mike Davis, a freshman receiver from Dallas, is listed as a co-starter at flanker with senior John Chiles and will play in Saturday’s game.

Tyrell Higgins will open at the defensive tackle spot next to returnee Kheeston Randall, with Alex Okafor _ a converted DE _ listed as Higgins’ primary backup.

Two incoming freshmen are listed as second-teamers at defensive end: Jackson Jeffcoat, a five-star signee, and Reggie Wilson, a Haltom graduate. Coaches said both will play Saturday.

Dravanti Johnson has won a starting job at strongside linebacker.

Jordan Hicks, a five-star signee from Ohio, is listed as the backup at weakside linebacker and is expected to play Saturday.

Texas’ initial depth chart includes 13 freshmen.

James Kirkendoll, the player Brown called the Longhorns’ “most consistent” receiver during fall camp, will see significant time at split end as well as at the slot receiver position.

-- Jimmy Burch

Texas OL Kelley to miss season opener against Rice

Texas offensive tackle Paden Kelley, a redshirt freshman projected to be in the Longhorns’ two-deep rotation, will not play in the team’s Sept. 4 opener against Rice because of an unspecified violation of team rules, coach Mack Brown said. Brown said Kelley will be allowed to play Sept. 11 against Wyoming.

Running back Vondrell McGee, who received a one-game suspension in April after his arrest on a charge of driving while intoxicated, also will miss the Rice game. Others who will miss the opener because of injuries include offensive tackle Tray Allen (foot), tight end D.J. Grant (knee) and 2010 signees Demarco Cobbs (hamstring) and Tevin Jackson (wrist).

_ Jimmy Burch

TCU lands four players on Lombardi watch list

Four players from TCU, as well as two candidates from both Texas and Oklahoma, are among 87 players on the watch list for the 2010 Lombardi Award. The honor is given to the top lineman or linebacker in college football.

The watch list, released today, includes four Horned Frogs: offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, linebacker Tank Carder, defensive end Wayne Daniels and center Jake Kirkpatrick.

 Also included were Texas defensive end Sam Acho, Texas offensive tackle Kyle Hix, Oklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis, Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller, Baylor offensive tackle Danny Watkins and Oklahoma State defensive end Ugo Chinasa.

A total of 16 candidates from Big 12 schools or Texas-based colleges made the watch list, including Nebraska defensive tackle Jared Crick, Nebraska defensive end Pierre Allen and Colorado offensive tackle Nate Solder.

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas-USC set football series for 2017, 2018 seasons

Texas and Southern California, two of the nation’s 10 winningest college football programs, have scheduled a home-and-home football series in 2017 and 2018, officials from both schools announced today.

Texas will play in Los Angeles on Sept. 16, 2017. USC will play in Austin on Sept. 15, 2018.
The teams have met five times through the years, with USC holding a 4-1 series edge. But Texas’ victory was a big one: a 41-38 triumph in the 2006 Rose Bowl that sealed the Longhorns’ national championship for the 2005 season.

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas fans can channel their "inner Mack Brown" for prizes

Texas officials are putting a fresh twist on the pre-game speech.

As part of the process, and with weekly prizes on the line, Texas Longhorns Energy is partnering with Mack Brown and the University of Texas to allow Longhorns' fans an opportunity to address the team in a pre-recorded, pre-game speech.
 
Fans can channel their “inner Mack Brown” and submit their own pre-game speech video on the Monday before each game for a chance to receive a signed game ball from the coach. 
 
To enter the contest, fans must submit a video, no more than three minutes long, to  www.TexasLonghornsEnergyZone.com.  The top videos will be posted Tuesday on the site for a weekly vote by fans. The most compelling speech will be selected each Friday and provided to the team prior to the game. 
 
“We are asking all of our fans to give us your best shot at your best pre-game speech and put it on the website [www.TexasLonghornsEnergyZone.com],” Brown said in a prepared statement.   “The best one (video) will be brought to me, and if it’s good enough, then I’ll take it to the team and use it … and there’s even a possibility, if we like enough, we’ll bring you in and maybe let you do it (in person).”

For more information, consult the website.

_ Jimmy Burch 
 
 

Colorado apparently will wait until 2012 to leave the Big 12

Colorado officials have decided to wait until 2012 to depart the Big 12 and join an expanded Pac-10 because of stalled negotiations over the amount of the school’s departure penalties, based on a report from the Boulder Daily Camera.

In a interview today with the newspaper, Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn said a departure for the Pac-10 for the 2012-13 school year “is our plan and that is what we are working on.”

When school administrators voted in June to switch leagues, Colorado officials initially announced a plan to depart in 2012. But school officials and Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe indicated last month that a departure in 2011, to coincide with Nebraska’s departure for the Big Ten, might be possible and would be discussed.

Based on today’s report, it appears Colorado has chosen to remain in the Big 12 until 2012 to minimize departure penalties estimated between $9 million and $14.5 million.

_ Jimmy Burch

Texas-OU kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 2

ABC officials have set a 2:30 p.m. kickoff for the Texas-Oklahoma game, to be played Oct. 2 in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. School and network officials made the announcement today.

_ Jimmy Burch