52-10... Need I say more?

Every Texas season should open with a 52-10 win over a patsy. (Despite what FAU apologists would have you believe, the Owls are a patsy.) Sadly, for the first time in two years, I didn't see the game. Sacrilege I know, but I was hosting family, and they didn't want to go the sports bar.

So I get to read recaps and box scores. And I like what I see.

Colt McCoy has, theoretically, established himself as one of the Longhorns' most effective dual threat QBs ever. Seriously.
With his 222 yards passing and 103 yards rushing, he became the second UT quarterback to break the 200/100 barrier more than once in a career. Vince Young, who gave McCoy a hug before the game and got his number retired, accomplished the feat five times.

With three passing TDs and one on the ground, McCoy got a jumpstart on everyone's favorite statistic. Vondrell McGee and Cody Johnson also scored on the ground, while Blaine Irby, Chris Ogbonnaya, Jordan Shipley and James Kirkendoll pulled down touchdown passes.

Kirkendoll's scoring reception came from none other than John Chiles. While Chiles did nothing with his feet, his passing seems improved. The TD pass was the first of his career, and he completed an impressive 4-of-5 passes. In all of last year, he was 1-for-9 with his arm. So, he quintupled his career passing totals in one game. I'm going to take the liberty of attaching more importance to that accomplishment than it probably merits.
Last year, his QB rating was 26.98. This year, it is 228.32
His completion percentage a year ago: 11.1% Now: 80%
Hallelujah. Jump for joy. He's legit.
I hope.

Oh, and about FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger's remarks earlier this week. Well, the AP said it all.

Florida Atlantic coach Howard Schnellenberger had rankled Texas with comments suggesting the Longhorns weren't tough and could be intimidated if hit hard enough. When the Longhorns walked into the stadium about two hours before kickoff, defensive tackle Roy Miller pulled off his shirt on the field and appeared to be yelling at his teammates to get them fired up as several Owls players stood nearby.

Texas had little trouble pushing around the Owls' defense. While Schnellenberger had said he wanted to get "three hats" on Texas ball carriers, Florida Atlantic seldom appeared to have three players even close in the first half.

If three late hits is Schnellenberger's idea of tough, I have nothing but ill wishes for his squad this season.

Halftime: 28-3

Texas is taking it to the Cyclones.
Colt McCoy looks like he's a freshman, and for the slumping sophomore, that's a great thing.
McCoy has thrown three touchdown passes in the first half and completed 15 of 19 passes.
Four receivers have over 30 receiving yards, and Jordan Shipley has already caught two touchdown passes, including a 58-yard run and catch on Texas' first offensive play of the game.
Jamaal Charles has only had five rushing attempts, but he's averaged seven yards a carry and gotten into the end zone once.
A Quan Cosby catch accounted for Texas' other first half score.

Mack Brown raised a few eyebrows by putting in his entire second team on offense — comprised solely of freshmen — while Texas had only a 14-3 lead. I'm not sure what he was trying to accomplish, but it could easily be construed as a sign of disrespect.

2007 Big 12 Media Days

San Antonio--I'm at the Wyndham-St. Anthony Hotel in downtown San Antonio for this year's Big 12 Football Media Days. A year ago tomorrow this blog was born at last year's Media Days in Kansas City, and it's still alive. Impressive, I know.

Today we'll hear from Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Baylor. It'll be interesting to hear what OU's head coach Bob Stoops has to say about the wiped out 2005 season and its appeal. Luckily, he's up first in about half an hour.

His Sooners are ranked above Texas in Street & Smith's preseason poll as well as Blue Ribbon Yearbook's and Dave Campbell's Texas Football/FSN poll. All the other polls have the Longhorns higher— including one with them at No. 2 (Athlon Sports). Texas's lowest ranking is No. 8 by Street & Smith's and CBS Sportsline.

The Longhorns have several players on the 2007 Preseason All-Big 12 team. I find the exercise of selecting a pre-season team pointless (though its irrelevance pales when compared to preseason offensive and defensive players of the year and a newcomer of the year awards).

But, in case you care. OL Tony Hills, WR Limas Sweed, QB Colt McCoy, RB Jamaal Charles, DL Frank Okam, DL Derek Lokey and DB Marcus Griffin all made the team.
And the preseason offensive player of the year? That'd be McCoy.

Commendations and Condemnations

Looking back: commendations, condemnations

By: Ryan Killian

Posted: 5/3/07

As the semester draws to a close, it seems a good idea to hand out what I like to call Killian's Commendations and Condemnations. Ok, I just made that up on the spot, but it will work splendidly.

First, a commendation to Kevin Durant. Bet you didn't see that coming.

Texas has grown to be respectable as a basketball school, but with Durant around you couldn't talk college basketball without bringing up the Longhorns. The 6-foot-9-inch kid wonder averaged a double-double during his too-short stay, and now he's headed toward stardom and riches in the NBA.

Staying in-house, my first condemnation goes to the University of Texas Board of Regents. "Sawing 'em off" may be low, but taking Aggieland Outfitters to court over it was even lower. Rivalries should be bitter and a little dirty.

They shouldn't be fought in a courtroom though.

Texas outfielder Kyle Russell is to be commended for his impressive play this season. He just made the list of finalists for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award.

And with good reason.

The kid's leading the nation in home runs with 24, and his slugging percentage of .884 is tops too. He's already broken Jeff Ontiveros' team record of 20 home runs. Considering that home runs are baseball's sexiest stat, and that the sport's most glamorous element, power, is reflected in slugging percentage, it's safe to compare them with, say, touchdowns in football or average points in basketball. Neither Vince Young or Durant ever led their respective leads in those stats.

Just sayin', it's something to think about.

Billy and Bob get to share a dose of condemnation. Billy Gillespie, formerly of Texas A&M, took his "aw, shucks" approach to Kentucky. Bob Huggins took off for West Virginia, leaving Kansas State, resuscitators of his coaching career, in the lurch. Both coaches had it made in the Big 12. Gillespie commanded a huge contract with the Aggies, while Huggins had the run of Aggieville after almost getting the Wildcats into the NCAA tourney.

Both gave their thanks by saying goodbye, Gillespie via text message.

Conference winners always deserve their fair share of commendations, and Texas has three programs currently in possession of a Big 12 title. The soccer team won theirs last semester, but overlooking them wouldn't be right. After beating Colorado in penalty kicks to take the title, Texas earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and it took a meeting with that perennial powerhouse Portland to end their season in the third round. When all was said and done, the No. 8 ranking the team was left with marked its highest final ranking in team history.

Men's swimming and diving won their conference championship in February - for the 11th straight time. These guys are good. Their domination was rewarded in early April when, between veteran Garrett Weber-Gale and freshman Ricky Berens, they swept Swimmer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year respectively. They finished in fifth place at the NCAA championships - and were disappointed.

The men's indoor track and field program also got a taste of the title, splitting it with Nebraska. After dominating in the heptathlon, Texas also won the high jump, distance medley, mile run and 800-meter run on their way to 93 points and the tie atop the leader board.

Now the quick hits, the harsh, judgmental stuff first.

Jevan Snead. Sometimes competitors sit the bench. Snead transferred to Ole Miss after he couldn't wrestle away the starting job from Colt McCoy. Women's golf team, you started the season with a 16th-place finish in New Mexico. You ended it with a 10th-place finish in the Big 12 championship. A little improvement, or competitiveness, would have been nice.

To end on a positive note, here's a few more things that caught my eye.

NCAA, good call on separating text messaging and recruiting. WTG. You seven NFL draftees, and you two that signed free-agent deals, you know who you are, congratulations. Lastly, check 2B of next Wednesday's Daily Texan. I'm counting 32 female athletes who pulled off 4.0 GPAs in the last calendar year. That's impressive. I've never done it for a single semester.