Texas dominated over arguably the best opening weekend of college football ever. Despite the viral picture claiming Texas teams went undefeated — where I trolled the internet, correcting everybody on the wrong statistic — TX college FBS programs had a fantastic outing, going 10-2 (one loss was by UNT to SMU).
Here are some Texas HS Football takeaways from Week One:
In an era where “Thud” practice is the norm at NFL training facilities, and parents are hastily yanking their kids from Pop Warner, safety concerns are casting a shady veil of doubt cast over the sport.
Coach Tom Herman doesn’t believe in sugarcoating football.
Just check out the mangled helmet propped outside the Cougars meeting room — a sign above reads “University of Houston Football Training Camp”.
Although undersized against most 4/5-star recruits, Houston plays smash-mouth football. They hit you often, and hard. It’s the kind of physicality that got Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield sacked five times, forcing a fumble. The defensive line ranked 19th nationally in sacks (36), and was enough to cover for an inexperienced secondary.
It seems very likely that Herman’s Cougars will run the table. A lot may be dictated on the health of dual-threat quarterback Greg Ward Jr. who recently had an MRI on his throwing shoulder. In their sole loss last season— against a so-so UCONN team that went 6-7— Ward was out with a rolled ankle.
With one victory, UT went from a preseason disappointment to no. 11 in the AP poll (and no. 3 in our very own Texas college ranking). Texas fans are already talking championship, sipping the hype Kool-Aid until their cups are empty. However, I’m not willing to drink mine yet, and lay down with all the other fans at Darrel K. Royal.
The defense is still the cyanide in the mix. Despite some bright spots – primarily with linebackers Malik Jefferson and Anthony Wheeler – the Longhorns are still on pace to equal last years dreadful unit that allowed 30.3 points per game and gave up 453 yards per game.
Fortunately, Charlie Strong’s gang has a cupcake match this weekend against UTEP to ratify their mistakes. But I’m not draining my drink until I see how they show in week three and four matches against Cal and Oklahoma, respectively.
Unlike the Longhorns hype locomotive, I’m fully on board as the conductor of the Patrick Mahomes bandwagon, yanking the pull chord on the train’s whistle for all to hear. He’s on pace to catching up with another Coach Kingsbury protegé, Johnny Manziel.
Mahomes is averaging 396 total yards of offense per game; Manziel had 383. Manziel owns the advantage in quality of games won and bowl games. Both have dual-threat abilities of scrambling out of the pocket and still making plays down field. Mahomes leads the nation in TD passes since becoming a starter, posting 54 touchdown passes; no other QB has passed more during nineteen starts.
Coach Charlie Strong wasn’t the only accomplished recruiter-turned-HC that had a victorious outing. After two losing seasons with founding coach — and former Miami Hurricanes champ — Larry Coker, the UTSA Roadrunners started the Frank Wilson era with a 26-13 victory over Alabama State.
Wilson, a heralded recruiter and running backs coach for LSU, lead a more cohesive unit on the field.
Similar to their UT cousins up the road, the Roadrunners are trying to overcome two consecutive losing seasons. The novelty of being the only FBS program in the Alamo City has faded, and attendance has declined gradually over the years.
Wilson rebuffed the offensive line; quarterback Dalton Sturm was sacked 30 times last season, but was well protected in last weekends game; the offensive front surrendered zero sacks. On the other side of the ball, the defense had a program record six sacks, and only allowed two third-down conversions.
Despite a compromised and entitled culture off the field, the Baylor Bears looked disciplined on the gridiron, beating Northwestern State 55-7, the most points in Coach Jim Grobe history.
Despite the absence of Coach Briles, the Bears still look like they will have a solid winning season in the Big 12. The defense allowed 78 yards (fourth fewest), one yard per play (second fewest), and 1.6 yards per pass (fourth fewest).
Things get even better for Baylor when they play SMU this weekend. The last time both teams met in 2014, the Bears had the most dominant defensive effort in school history, holding the Mustangs to only 67 yards of total offense.
