AUSTIN, Texas - Alex Okafor has more important things to worry about than Texas Longhorns' spring ball, and he is not about to trash a program that he obviously so dearly loves, but the man has some honest insight into what troubles his college team.
On Tuesday at UT's Pro Day, Okafor worked out for the various NFL teams who made the trip. After his workout, he spoke about playing for UT and admitted there is some stress that comes with playing for a college program that has such high expectations, and has failed to live up to them for the past few seasons.
"After the past two years, there is some stress," Okafor said. "There is going to be stress on next year's team. It's no different."
How can a program that routinely ranks among the nation's best in recruiting start winning the way this team should?
"Physcially, we have to get better," Okafor said.
Amen and amen.
As long as Mack Brown can't find another Vince Young or Colt McCoy, and this state's best quarterbacks routinely go anywhere but Austin, his team needs to embrace a more phsyically dominant brand of football.
Alabama doesn't exactly have Andrew Luck as its quarterback, but there may not be a team that is more physically imposing. Playing physical can compensate for shortcomings in other areas.
I asked Okafor if he meant by physical that means getting bigger, or something else.
"Physically, on the field," he said. "Physically, and mentally, we have to dominate."
UT does not have Alabama's players, but these guys aren't stiffs. This starts with the culture in Austin that needs a slight adjustment. No one is scared of playing Texas.
This doesn't mean players - sorry, student athletes - should be deprived of water or food but it does mean someone either on the staff or on the team sells and embraces a nastier, meaner and ultimately more physical attitude.
If David Ash is going to be this team's QB, and right now that is the case, the defense has to compensate by demoralizing its opponents. Some of that is talent, but a lot of it is attitude.
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