Texas Longhorns

If the No. 25 Longhorns (11-8, 3-0 Big 12) want to continue their six-game winning streak by taking the first of a three-game set at Kansas State Friday, they’d better hope Nathan Thornhill can find a cure for his first inning woes.

Thornhill, who is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA, has been woefully consistent in five first innings this season. The right-hander has yielded eight runs (all earned) on nine hits and five walks, which amounts to a 14.40 ERA and a .375 average against.

After the first inning, Thornhill has pitched like the Friday starter Texas has envisioned this season. The rest of the way he has allowed just eight runs (four earned), on 29 hits and four walks in 28 2/3 innings. He holds a 1.26 ERA after the first inning and is holding opponents to a .188 clip.

If he can keep Kansas State (12-8, 1-2) at bay, he should receive enough run support to carry him deep into the game. That is if the Texas’ bats continue as they have during this winning streak, which includes wins over four top 25 opponents.

The Longhorns have scored nine runs in three straight games and hit .360 during their three-game sweep of Oklahoma.

One of the leaders of the offense has been right fielder Mark Payton, who has reached base in all 19 games this season. Payton, who recorded at least one base hit in 16 games, owns a .333 average and .432 on-base percentage.

Kansas State is looking to snap a two-game skid at the hands of Texas A&M. The Wildcats took the first game of the series 15-12 but dropped the final two 9-2 and 7-2.

Right-hander Matt Applegate (1-2, 6.04 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Wildcats.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas has blockers.

And it has receivers.

What the Longhorns don’t have is a combination of both. In other words, a tight end.

“Still a concern,” said Texas coach Mack Brown, when asked about it recently.

That’s pretty much been his standard answer for going on, well, years now. The concern is more pressing these days because of the shift in offensive philosophy Texas has employed under co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin.

“What we did (in previous years), is we had a spread offense that we took a bunch of receivers and had them beef up and become tight ends,” Brown said. “And now we’re probably going to have to start looking at a different type of tight end coming in.”

The type that can block and catch.

That is the type Harsin had at Boise State. Not only did having a complete tight end allow the Broncos to set the edge in the run game, but there was production in the passing game as well.

In Harsin’s final three years as offensive coordinator with the Broncos, the tight ends averaged 540 receiving yards and seven touchdowns per year. Texas had 223 receiving yards and four touchdowns from the tight end position in 2011. Three of those four touchdowns came in one game. The other was to tackle Luke Poehlmann in a goal line situation where he was used at tight end.

“We've got to get settled and be better at tight end,” Brown said.

Yeah, no kidding.

Texas is trying to do just that. But, again, personnel is an issue.

D.J. Grant, the player Texas thought could become the tight end it needed, has suffered through knee injuries. Grant was far and away the most productive tight end in 2011 with 16 catches for 180 yards and the three touchdowns. But Grant, who was a wide receiver in high school, sorely lacks the blocking skills necessary to be an every down player.

Barrett Matthews can block but not catch. Plus Texas wants to take a look at him as a fullback because of depth issues there.

That leaves Greg Daniels, a converted defensive lineman who cannot participate in spring drills because of an injury, sophomore Darius Terrell and redshirt freshman M.J. McFarland. Each has his advantages and disadvantages but none of them are the complete package Texas needs.

“We’d like to get past the point where we have to put Luke Poehlmann in to block every time we’re going to run,” Brown said. “And put one of those other guys in every time were going to pass.

“It’s such a tendency that we need to find the right guys here. And that’s one of the issues with the last nine practices here. We want to figure out who we are at tight end and what we have to do with this offense to get better.”

McFarland appears as if he might be that guy.

“Where he is now, and with not going through the entire season and getting the reps, he has done a nice job,” Harsin said. “We will really see with him that second half of spring, once it's all in, where he takes the next step offensively for us.”

But it is clear he has the skill set necessary to block and catch for Texas.

“He's a big dude that is physical and can run,” Harsin said. “He's made some catches out there, and he is into it. He enjoys practice. He enjoys preparing out there.”

Still there are issues.

“He’s got everything we need,” Brown said. “But he has not been a blocker in his life. And we’ve worked on it everyday it’s legal since he’s been here to get him to be lower in his stance. He stood up as a wide receiver. He’s never been in a stance. So all of this is different for him.”

It’s all different for all of them. That’s the problem. And that is why it is a concern for Brown.

Join Sean Adams today as he chats with SportsNation about the Longhorns, spring football, recruiting, March Madness, and pretty much anything else on his mind.

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Also, check out Sean Adams daily on 104.9 the Horn, ESPN Austin as he hosts "The Adams Theory."

1. Speaking loudly: Texas quarterbacks David Ash and Case McCoy spoke publicly Thursday. Things might finally be loosening up with the Longhorns. Neither spoke much, outside of postgame press conferences all last season, and the Texas staff has guarded them throughout the spring.

But getting Ash out in front of the media is important to his development. No, it’s not going to prevent him from turnover or fix his deep-ball mechanics, but if he’s going to be the starting quarterback at Texas, he’s going to face tough questions. He might as well get comfortable with those asking them.

It’s also a good sign for the rest of the program. Mack Brown closed off practically everything last spring and fall while his team refocused at the 5-7 season in 2010. Now, 8-5 is no reason to fling open the doors to the program, but it show that Brown is more comfortable with his new philosophies and the plans that are now in place.

2. Brown deserves his time: There were reports that J’Covan Brown was gone to the NBA. Then he wasn’t. The Texas junior released a statement Thursday night saying that he had not made a decision, needed to consult with his family, and would inform the Longhorns as soon as he was ready.

Brown should take every second he needs. Will coming back improve his draft stock? Maybe, but not really according to some analysts. Brown does have family consideration weighing on his decision as he has a young daughter. But certainly, the Big 12’s leading scorer should take as much time as possible and get all the information available before announcing his plans.

3. Look into the future: It’s never too early to look ahead to 2014 recruiting. Texas certainly has. They’ve extended invitations to the spring game to a number of 2014 prospects. The scouting period also gets started in earnest this weekend, especially in Texas. Elite 11 camps and Nike Training Camps in Dallas will host some of the state’s best and launch some of them into the upper echelon of recruiting.

As always, HornsNation wants to hear from you. Hit us up with questions or comments by going to the forum.

AUSTIN, Texas -- J'Covan Brown doesn’t know what the future holds.

The Texas guard just knows he has a decision to make -- stay or go. That decision, the junior said, has not yet been made.

“I’d like to let our fans know that I have not made any decision on my basketball future,” the junior said in a statement released by the university. “The main thing I’ve been focused on after the season ended has been getting caught up with my academics.

“Just so everyone knows what I’m doing, I’m heading home for the weekend to spend some time with my family and talk with them. Then I’ll talk with our coaching staff here at Texas when I get back. I also plan to get some info from the NBA on where I might be picked, if I decide to enter the draft. When my decision is made, I’ll let everyone know.”

Brown, the leading scorer in Big 12 last season, is not seen as a top prospect by ESPN’s Chad Ford. In fact, Ford predicts that if Brown leaves he will not be drafted and ranks him as the 77th best prospect available.

On the flip side, Brown has been at Texas four years and it is assumed that his stock may not increase in another season with the Longhorns. He has a 1-year-old daughter and has said that family considerations will play into his decision.

Brown has until April 10 to declare that he is forgoing his last year of eligibility. If he does leave, Texas will have only freshmen and sophomores on the roster next season unless it signs a junior college player.

Football Outsiders' Brian Fremeau broke down five teams that are nearly elite, but need big improvement on one side of the ball.

One of those teams? The Texas Longhorns.

You'll need ESPN Insider to see the full piece, but here's what Fremeau had to say about the Horns.

Texas won't likely be a legitimate contender this season, and its program rating is still clinging to the Colt McCoy years. The Longhorns were a perennial top-20 offense under McCoy, but no one has stepped in to create the same level of total offensive production in his absence. Texas has ranked 105th and 70th, respectively, according to opponent-adjusted OFEI in the past two seasons. Ten starters return this fall, and perhaps that consistency can bolster productivity on the field. Equipped with an elite defense, even a modest improvement offensively should position Texas for a strong run in 2013 and beyond.

I'd agree with that sentiment. The numbers support the common theory surrounding the Longhorns: They're getting better, but the best years are quickly approaching.

The Longhorns played 18 freshman last season. They'll be sophomores this year. And as juniors in 2013?

Look out. That's a lot of top-flight recruits with a lot of experience. Texas' biggest problem is obviously at quarterback, but it's been nothing but steps forward after a disastrous 5-7 season in 2010.

The Business of College Sports broke down the finances (courtesy of the Department of Education) of each Big 12 athletic department, looking at the total revenue, expenses and profit for each school.

Here's how the schools ranked for the 2010-11 school year.

PROFIT

• 1. Texas: $24,317,815
• 2. Kansas State: $23,395,408
• 3. Oklahoma State: $14,365,376
• 4. Oklahoma: $8,064,477
• 5. Texas A&M: $3,224,429
• 6. Texas Tech: $3,124,246
• 7. Missouri: $143,588
• 8. Iowa State: $121,686
• 9. Baylor: $0
• 10. Kansas: $0

(Read full post)

Sean Adams continues his look at the issues facing Texas before the 2013 season. In this video, he looks at what a difference the second year will make with coordinators Bryan Harsin and Manny Diaz.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Despite having the support of her administration and two years left on her contract, Texas women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors resigned on Monday, and by Monday night, had a text waiting from Longhorns football coach Mack Brown.

He thanked her for her work, and told her he appreciated her.

"Who in the world knows how somebody feels?" Brown said.

Brown doesn't know exactly, but when Goestenkors says things like "My heart's telling me it's time to take a break," Brown knew he had some idea of what she was going through.

It came from a conversation with legendary Longhorns coach Darrell Royal back in 2003, when Brown felt similar to Goestenkors.

"I asked him, 'Why did you quit?'" Brown said. "And there were reasons. But he said that when the losses became devastating and the wins became relief and it wasn't fun to even win, because you were supposed to, then I needed to get out."

Brown, then in his sixth season and third of what would be nine consecutive 10-win seasons, said he just needed to "wake up."

Two years later, he won a national championship and his second consecutive Rose Bowl.

That feeling crept back in during the Longhorns' trying 5-7 season in 2010. Even Texas' signature victory of that campaign didn't offer the same kind of pleasure such a win used to, Brown said.

"I remember beating Nebraska, walking off the field and I was worried about [Brown's wife] Sally because she lost her brother," Brown said. "I didn't have any joy in that win and that was stupid because it was a huge win for Texas and these kids. I didn't feel it walking off the field because of her loss and I felt a little guilty I was there without her and her brother being buried."

He saw the same in Goestenkors, Brown said. He needed another wakeup call after 2010, and may have got it in a new staff with two new, young coordinators, Manny Diaz (defense) and Bryan Harsin (offense). Bouncing back for eight wins may have helped, too, but Texas has bigger things in mind for 2012 and beyond: Namely, a return to the excellence Brown established in his first decade at the helm in Austin.

"If you're going to walk around and pout when you lose, act like a baby, and when you win act arrogant, not feel good about a win because Texas is supposed to win -- we don't anoint ourselves supposed to win -- then you're in some trouble and you need to have fun," Brown said. "You need to have joy."

AUSTIN, Texas -- The last time Texas football coach Mack Brown walked into the Southern Flyer alongside the Brenham Municipal Airport, Jack Hess, who doesn’t know much about football but more than enough of about character, wanted to know when Ryan Roberson was going to start.

Roberson had been Hess’ line cook five years while he was a high school football star for Brenham High and now Hess was looking out for one of his own.

This is his year, Brown told Hess. He is the starter.

What Brown neglected to elaborate on was that Roberson would not only be the starter, but the backup and even the third string. The former burger flipper was the only fullback the Longhorns had.

Cody Johnson is gone. Jamison Berryhill, the heir apparent, said his body couldn’t take it anymore. That has left Roberson and Texas staring a huge hole it had to fill.
Texas did make a move Tuesday to help Roberson. Alex De La Torre has switched from linebacker to backup fullback for the remaining spring practices.

“Sometimes you always look at trying to look at a guy on the other side of the ball,” Brown said. “We'll look at Alex De La Torre at fullback the second seven days, because we've seen him for eight days at linebacker. That doesn't mean he'll be a fullback in the fall, but that means we'll have a fair evaluation on both sides of the ball of where he fits.”

Texas had already moved linebacker Chet Moss to fullback prior to the start of spring But Moss has run into academic trouble and as such cannot be a reliable option for Texas.

As a just-in-case measure Texas is also looking at Barrett Matthews as a possible fullback. Matthews is also playing tight end, but has seen his stock drop in at that position because of the emergence of M.J. McFarland.

Of course there was a pervasive school of thought that Joe Bergeron, because of his size and because of the crowd at running back, might get moved to fullback. Texas has repeatedly squashed that notion by bringing up the scenario from last season at Missouri when Texas had to play its fourth string back for most of the game.

“If we've committed to being a physical football, you better be really good at tailback, you can't be average,” Brown said.

To do that, he feels Texas has to have three fresh, strong tailbacks and a strong presence at fullback. Roberson, who has primarily played on special teams his first three seasons, should be the player to fill that role.

What Roberson, or any fullback, should be able to provide for this offense is that one extra block to turn the ordinary into explosive. Texas has failed to produce explosive runs over the past two seasons, partly because the lack of backs, but also because of the inability of the offensive line.

In 2012 the offensive line is poised to be as good as it has been in several years. That means the defensive line and quite possibly a few linebackers should be taken care of by that group on run plays. Roberson, or whoever the fullback might be, will be responsible for picking up that one extra block that allows the running back to see daylight. And then, as always, the running back has to make one person miss for the play to work.

Then there is the extra touch co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin can add to the run game if that run game has a solid tailback/fullback combination.

“We can add toys,” Brown said.

That should be much more entertaining for Roberson than flipping burgers in Brenham.

1. Still waiting: Late Tuesday, Damon Sayles reported that Maurice Smith (Sugar Land, Texas/Dulles) had received a scholarship offer from Ole Miss, his 13th. HornsNation’s Max Olson reported that Smith had recently spoken with the Texas coaches who have asked him to visit during spring practice.

They are also demanding his patience. As Olson points out, he is almost certain to get an offer from the Longhorns, but how long does Smith wait?

With the misses the Texas coaches have made in recruiting, it’s wise to take time in evaluations and finding just the right prospect at each position. Furthermore, Texas coaches have said they are interested in players who want to be Longhorns. In Smith’s case, the convincing might have to come from the Texas staff to prove they really want Smith in burnt orange.

2. Feeling a draft: Iowa State sophomore forward Royce White has announced he will leave early for the NBA. White was certainly one of the breakout stars in the Big 12 this season. Texas fans are still waiting to see what Longhorns J'Covan Brown and Myck Kabongo decide to do about their professional futures.

There are two dates to keep in mind while watching this situation. The first is April 29. Players have until 11:59 p.m. ET to declare for the draft. The second date is 5 p.m. ET on June 18. Players who have declared, and not signed with an agent, have until then to withdraw their name from draft eligibility.

The time should help Brown and Kabongo. They can submit to the draft advisory board to see where they stand. For players like those two, who draft experts have in a variety of scenarios, that advising is crucial. At least they’ll be better informed on whatever decision they make.

3. Campbell honored: Former Texas linebacker/defensive back Tom Campbell will be inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Campbell played in the 1969 and 1970 Cotton Bowl Classics, both of which were Longhorns wins.

In the ’69 game, Campbell was named the game’s outstanding defensive player after recording two tackles and two interceptions. The following year, Campbell intercepted Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann with 38 seconds to play to seal a 21-17 win. It also helped the Longhorns secure the national championship.

David Ubben breaks down the latest from Texas' spring camp, including a position change and some clarity in the quarterback race, plus some bonus tidbits from Pro Day.

AUSTIN, Texas -- College football's going to look a little different next year, and Mack Brown isn't so sure the new rule changes are going to benefit the game.

Texas' coaches spent an hour with officials on Monday, and Brown left with several concerns.

Perhaps his biggest complaint?

The ambiguity of the new helmet rule, which Brown says is "a little gray."

Next year, if a player loses his helmet, he has to sit out a play, but that's not the only rule change. Depending on the situation, the play can be stopped, or a player who loses his helmet can't continue playing.

When play will be stopped or a player made to quit playing, though, is a difficult judgment call with a 15-yard penalty at stake.

"If I'm a defensive end rushing the passer, supposedly I can rush him, but quarterback steps up, I can't continue to rush or it's a penalty," Brown said. "If you lose your helmet, you have to come out of the game for a play, regardless. So, your quarterback could lose his helmet on the next to the last play of the game and he's out for the last play. And also if you lose your helmet within  in the last minutes of the half at the end of the game, you can have the 10-second runoff rule."

Brown used the example of last year's last-second win over Texas A&M. The game-winning field goal was kicked with three seconds left, but if Texas hadn't had a timeout late, a player's helmet coming off could force a 10-second runoff and end the game.

While Brown, and I would assume most people, agree with the rule's intent -- protecting players -- the regulations could have some troubling consequences.

Brown wants to take some action before the season and get Big 12 Coordinator of Football Officials Walt Anderson involved.

"What you have is about nine coaches from all different divisions that are in a group with Safeguards Committee and they sit and make these rules. I really wish we would have more input instead of just being told, because we didn't even understand some of these until yesterday," Brown said. "What we've done when we make rules and make the official's judgment in a tough spot, I think we're hurting ourselves because how in the world are you going to know when to blow that whistle?"

Brown also took issue with the new, re-instituted halo rule that requires players to provide a one-yard buffer zone in front of players returning punts.

"Now, if [a defender is] covering me and I'm returning the punt and I bobble it and go toward him and he's within a yard of me and doesn't touch me ... it's a 15yard penalty," Brown said. "I really hope that we'll relook at some of those things and try to make a difference."

The halo rule applies to more than just punts now, too. Next year, onside kicks must hit the ground twice, or kick return teams can call fair catches and prevent defenders from trying to retain possession for an onside attempt.

"They're protecting the guy that's standing there getting ready to catch the pop up and everybody's running over him," Brown said. "If it touches the ground once I can call a fair catch now on the kickoff on the onside kick. You'll have to kick the ball on the ground. If you hit it twice, can bounce it twice, get it to jump, then there's no fair catch."

That's a tall order for kickers, and expect to see a lot more onside kicks on the ground next year. But where is the line? What if a player is bent over trying to pick up a kick and suffers a serious neck injury? Do you just ban onside kicks altogether?

Brown made a whole lot of good points and questioned the right things with the new rule changes.

Here's hoping his campaign for clarification, alteration or outright change is successful.