Two Plus Two Newer Archives - Is there a worse 3-0 team in America than Texas?

I watched the game at the alumni association gathering at a bar here in Atlanta, and everybody walked out with their heads down like we'd taken a beating. Against a team capable of even competent QB play, we would have.

Aside from the DT rotation, every unit on the UT defense looks suspect. With Brian Orakpo hurt we have no rush end and really struggle to generate pressure. Our linebacking play, the perennial Achilles heel of Mack Brown's defenses, looks as bad as it's been in a while - for years the book on Texas has been to throw lots of counters, screens and misdirection at them, anything to make the LBs take false steps or over-commit, and that's been as true as ever this year. Safeties often look sort of lost in zone coverage and we seem to be out of stud corners - Foster and Palmer are perennial backups and it's hard to believe they're up to the challenge.

UT's offense is even more frustrating because so many of its defects are systematic. O-coordinator Greg Davis, a favorite whipping boy among UT fans, is really enjoying himself this year. Major Applewhite was a coach on the field who composed a lot of off-the-cuff magic. Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson and Vince Young were dominant talents who had to be catered to. Now, with a cast of finesse personnel and a quarterback who does exactly what he's told, Greg is having the time of his life dialing up what is apparently his passion - junky ass WR screens and one-hard quick hitches until the end of time.

Too-simple finesse offenses with no power component that make every third and two an adventure make this man's dick hard as a rock, for whatever reason. We don't have the horses to line 'em up and shove - Texas's string of behemoth O-lines is done, and this one is particularly suspect at center and guard - plus Charles is essentially the best long-yardage specialist RB in America. But with McCoy's accuracy, footwork, and ability to avoid the rush, I'd really prefer a more Gruden's Raiders-esque, intermediate-route attack, rather than leading the nation in third downs with this 35-completions-for-220-yards dink-and-dunk [censored].

Oklahoma, on the other hand, despite breaking in a lot of new faces at critical positions, looks like a well-oiled machine. This Bradford kid is a [censored] machine; somewhere Jim Thorpe is smiling. Sooner QBs (except for Hybl LOL he sucked) always seem to be ready to play at a very high level. I am less than hopeful about Oct. 6th.