Texas football gets little benefit of doubt from refs, doubts of fairness
While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:
Texas isn't getting the benefit of any calls
1. Parting Big 12 gifts: This isn’t to suggest a conspiracy that the Big 12 has it in for Texas, but it is highly curious how the Longhorns have rarely gotten the benefit of officiating in their final year in the league. Would sure appear to be the case because the Longhorns can’t seem to buy a holding or pass interference call against their opponents. In eight games, discounting the win at Alabama officiated by SEC refs, opponents have been flagged for only four holding calls (just two were accepted, and one of them was negated by a Texas late hit) and one pass interference penalty by Big 12 refs. ONE. Coincidence? That’s a tough one, given Texas’ pending exit for the SEC and its, uh, popularity in the Big 12. When I asked Steve Sarkisian about the disparity Monday, the Texas head coach said T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II are “the two most dominant interior defensive linemen in the country, and I’m not sure they’ve had a holding penalty called against either of them (by opposing offensive linemen, though one favored Murphy last week).” He cited similar disparity with wide receivers Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, one of the best tandems in college football. (Mitchell has had just one drop all year, and Worthy only four.) The only time an opponent was whistled for pass interference came in the Baylor game on a Worthy play. Worthy looked to be held twice blatantly, once in the end zone, against Kansas State but there was no call. (Oklahoma feels Texas’ pain. Yes, it was clearly pass interference. Sorry, Drake Stoops.) … “We don’t have time to complain about (potential penalties), but that’s the way it goes,” said Sarkisian. He sends in disputed plays to the league office and said, “Sometimes they come back, and they do agree with me. I don’t want to complain just to complain. But there are tools in that so we can learn how to effectively not get hold or get pass interference called.” … It was strange that the officiating crew wasn’t going to award Texas possession on Jaylan Ford’s fumble recovery on the Kansas State 5 until a UT timeout gave the refs time to review and overturn the call.
Sweating the defensive details for Texas
2. No sweat for Texas: An argument could be made that Sweat should be Texas' MVP although Jonathon Brooks, Worthy, Ford and Murphy could make cases as well. Sweat is ranked the No. 1 defensive tackle in the nation by Pro Football Focus and well could contend for Big 12 player of the year. Has he had a bad game? No. Does he drastically impact every game? Yes. Is he probably the most disruptive player on the Longhorns' defense? He is. The freakishly strong T-Sweat and immovable Murphy are the second coming of Shaun Rogers and Casey Hampton. Did you see the pursuit Sweat had and the crunching hit he made on Kansas State quarterback Will Howard? All that said, his teammates playfully took issue with Sweat’s failure to intercept Howard’s desperation pass on the last play of the game. “T-Sweat has butterfingers,” center Jake Majors said. Ford piled on, “Sweat just can’t catch. He doesn’t have hands. But they didn’t recruit him to intercept passes.” … Safety Michael Taaffe does have great hands with three picks in the last three games. He matched a feat last done by DeShon Elliott, now with the Dolphins, who intercepted an amazing five passes in the span of three games in 2017. “Being in the same conversation with him is a dream,” Taaffe said. “I always looked up to players like DeShon and Brandon Jones.”
Remembering a Longhorn legend
3. Good people: Long-time Texas tennis coach Dave Snyder died Saturday with funeral services set for Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. at Westlake Presbyterian Church. I’ll always remember him for his consistently upbeat and positive personality and wry sense of humor. And his winning with the second-most dual match victories in history (649) and producing 27 All-Americans and 28 tennis pros. … When I caught up with three-time All-American and NCAA singles champion Kevin Curren in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday, he couldn’t stop gushing about his mentor: “He never showed a negative side or bad emotions. He set the bar high, and his expectations were high, but he was never ever critical of us. He was such a huge part of my life. He became part of my DNA.” Curren grew up as a two-handed player from the baseline, but Snyder “transformed my game to more of a power, serve-and-volley game, which was my meal ticket.” ... "If there has been anyone who took care of his players and UT," Texas swimming coach Eddie Reese said, "it was Dave Snyder." ... "I’m heartbroken hearing of the news of Dave Snyder’s passing,” former Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. “He was an absolute Longhorn Legend in every way and just a wonderful colleague and friend.“
It's Texas vs. Alabama all over again
4. Texas' trump card: If Texas wins the Big 12 and Alabama wins the SEC, the Longhorns should get the College Football Playoff berth over the Crimson Tide. If not, why play that game in the first place? Does head-to-head even matter? Maybe Alabama looks better in the eye test, but shouldn’t résumé trump that when one team beat the other and at the other’s home stadium? I actually got a message from someone who said Texas was lucky in that game because it had a healthy Quinn Ewers. Uh, yeah, he was. Weren’t Jalen Milroe and Dallas Turner and Kool-Aid McKinstry healthy, too? Whatever. Now Texas could really use a Florida State loss in the diluted ACC and a Michigan win over Ohio State because the Wolverines played a weak schedule and had, ahem, certain advantages to ease their path to a possible CFP bid.
Wetting the appetite at Texas State
5. Diving all in: Texas State (6-3) has qualified for a bowl game, and head coach G.J. Kinne, athletic director Don Coryell and even university president Kelly Damphousse all dived into the San Marcos River on Saturday night, true to their word, after the Bobcats whipped Georgia Southern 45-24 for their sixth win. The act is a graduation ritual at the school, and here's to the higher-ups recognizing this team isn't in over its head as the Sun Belt's second-place team in the West Division. Quarterback TJ Finley had his third 300-yard game of the year, and favorite receiver Joey Hobert caught 13 passes on 13 targets for 141 yards and a score. Kinne earned a $25,000 incentive bonus for being bowl eligible in the Sun Belt, which has five bowl tie-ins, three in-state at the Frisco, First Responders and Armed Forces. The Bobcats are averaging 22,297 fans at home games, an increase of 27% over last year. … Hat tip to former Westlake Chap Leo Lowin, a senior linebacker for Army after his 12 tackles, two for losses, two forced fumbles and one recovery in the upset of unbeaten Air Force. He’s as gritty as they come and one of four team captains.
Texas soccer making its pitch
6.Soccer success: Congrats to Angela Kelly for winning the Big 12 Tournament soccer championship and hosting Southland Conference Tournament champion Lamar this Friday in a first-round NCAA Tournament game. Lamar will be no pushover since the Cardinals have won 15 matches, the same as the Longhorns (15-4-2). “We love our home pitch,” Kelly said. “It’s one of the best in the country. I think we’ve really matured as a squad over the course of this last month.” … Texas didn’t get the best of draws, though. The Horns are a No. 5 seed and in an unfriendly draw with a potential date with No. 1 Florida State in the third round.
The early Owls get the worms
7. The sweetest tooth: Of all the NIL deals, I got to say this latest one might be my favorite. Rice apparently loves it some gummy worms. Who doesn’t? But the Owls went above and beyond when strength coach Daniel Domian handed out such snacks to the Rice players during their rout of Tulsa on Oct. 19 because the treats are known to combat cramps and carbohydrate deficiencies. A video drew 1.4 million viewers. And Trolli Candy, the manufacturer, said the company saw more than 13 million social media impressions from Rice and others and sent the school 137 pounds of worms for its Tulane game and another 68 pounds. And the first 2,000 students at the game got free worms as well.
Looking for MJ
8. Scattershooting: While wondering whatever happened to former Longhorns wide receiver Marcus Johnson, who caught a long touchdown pass from Case McCoy in Mack Brown’s final game against TCU.
Meanwhile, from the greatest seat in the world ...
9. At the box office: Saw “What Happens Later” with maybe the smallest cast ever, starring Meg Ryan and David Duchovny and the disembodied voice of an actor playing an airport’s internal public address system. Fun look at rekindled romance. Gave it 7 ducks.
Time to start believing in the Texans
Crazy prediction: The 4-4 Houston Texans will make the playoffs and win a postseason game.
