There were hardly any games in the Big 12 this week, which suits me just fine since I spent much of today running around checking out Texas beaches and am feeling awfully lazy tonight.
So, here’s this week’s action:
Texas 35, Rice 13
This game was never in doubt, as Texas sprinted (and threw) to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter and seemed to play around after that. Cedric Benson had another monster game against physically outclassed defenders. The game commentators raved quite a bit about the Texas passing game, but in the game I watched, the passing game seemed to revolve around getting the ball to tight ends who were too much for Rice to handle. The passing game is not sophisticated, the wideouts are not highly involved, and Vince Young does not appear to have great accuracy. That will work fine against outmanned teams like Rice — which DeLoss Dodds suggests will be the sorts of teams Texas plays for its nonconference schedule in the future — but it remains to be seen whether it will work against marquee teams. Up next: a similar practice session against Baylor.
Texas Tech 31, Kansas 30
Kansas really should have won this game. They had it under control almost all the way. But an inability to put the game away — and especially missed field goals — kept it close until the end. And with two minutes remaining, Texas Tech’s Taurean Henderson busted off a 70 yard run to tie the game for the Red Raiders (the PAT put them ahead). Kansas couldn’t answer, and Mark Mangino must be beating his head against the wall over this one that his team let get away.
Baylor 37, North Texas 14
Baylor got stomped by North Texas last year, and by all accounts, their players remembered. That Baylor’s big rival seems to be North Texas suggests that another conference might be a better fit for the Bears. UT will, no doubt, drive home that point next weekend.
(09-27-2004 Update) Tom Kirkendall has his regular local football wrap here. I tend to share his thoughts on the UT passing game. [link updated to point to Kirkendall! sorry for the error!]
4 comments On Big 12 Wrap: Week 4
Just curious – did the commenters not notice the two Rice interceptions (plus a third, returned for a touchdown, that was called back on a roughing-the-passer penalty), or did they ignore them?
Texas’ tight ends killed Rice, no question, but after the two UHes, I can’t say that overall they were a more impressive passing attack than any other Rice has seen.
The commentators really downplayed the interceptions. I don’t understand it at all. It was almost like they were watching a different game.
IMO, Texas has a really simple passing attack that doesn’t come close to the June Jones or Art Briles offenses. Much better talent, yes. Sophistication? No. I thought Rice played ’em pretty well. They just had some problems matching up with some of the talent. But I imagine the UT folks were not happy that Rice hung so tough and the Longhorns didn’t get the blowout I’m sure they felt they were entitled to.
BTW, I thought that roughing-the-passer penalty was a bit of a tough call. I guess the push technically came before the interception and it was the right call, but if I were the ref, I would have been inclined to view it as the Rice player blocking for his returner and kept the flag in my pocket. 🙂
Thanks. I was at the game with the MOB and never saw the roughing penalty – in fact, I believe the ref called it "pass interference" on the field, which made even less sense. (We of course had really bad seats, in the corner of the far end zone from where the play took place.) There was no replay of this on the Jumbotron. Given that they showed a replay of a bad facemask call against UT, I figured that might have implied somthing. Oh, well.
Agree with you vis-a-vis UT’s passing game. Young is not there yet, and Greg Davis still stinks.
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