From: boisseau@chpc.utexas.edu (John R. Boisseau (Jay))
Subject: Re: Texas-Syracuse.   Good game, but..  :-(
Organization: The University of Texas System - CHPC
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 14:37:02 GMT

In article <2AB3FEAA.29634@news.service.uci.edu> jaykay@orion.oac.uci.edu (R. Jayakrishnan) writes:
>  Did any of you think that Syracuse pushing the ball in from 2 yards
>  with 7 seconds to go with a lead already, and with Texas having no
>  time-outs left, was a little (not much, though..) unclassy ?..
>  I guess nobody except David McWilliams (as he did against the aggies
>  two years back) does such things these days.

I never thought much of McWilliams as a coach, but I thought what he did at
the end of the A&M game two years ago (Horns ahead 28-27, get the ball in
their own end, and _run_ it right down A&M's throat to the 1 yard line
when A&M _knows_ it has to hold, then McWilliams has QB kneel instead of
punching it in now that time has almost expired) was classy. He could have
made the score 35-27, but (a) the game was really closer than that, and
A&M _desrved_ to have thescore reflect it based on the way they played,
and (b) there was no need to run it in--the game was won, and McWilliams
was a good sport. Oh, and (c) there is always a chance of a fumble, bein
run back for a 99 yd. TD.

I think SU should have downed the ball and let time expire. Such things
often come back to haunt you. The Texas players will remember it... and the
next meeting is in Austin.

>  Just that I would have really liked a 24-21 score in this, which is
>  how close the game really was. Also, wasn't the two-point catch really
>  on the ground?

Well, I thought so, but I'm not going to complain because it wasn't the 
difference anyway (SU deserved to win, and would have regardless), and
it was a helluva effort by Graves!

>  Frankly I was surprised to see the improvement that the Horns offense
>  showed from the previous week. But, I have to say this. I don't think
>  it helps to continue with Gardere. He was not pressured all that much
>  and a better quarterback would have won this game. Had the Syracuse
>  guys not dropped two or three easy interceptions, the score would
>  have been much different. Even though Peter's stats may look marginally
>  acceptable, it could easily have been a disastrous game. Anyone in Austin
>  has heard anything about when we will start seeing Shea Morenz ?.
>  UT has some excellent receivers, and a good QB could work wonders
>  with this team. 

I agree 100% with your assessment of Gardere. He looks nervous back there,
despite starting since halfway through his freshman year. He looks a little
better than last year, but he's never going to be _good_. Ever.

I think Shea will not see much time this year, if any. Mackovic has said
he wants to redshirt him. I bet he _really_ just doesn't want to wreck
his confidence by throwing him to the wolves with an offense that doesn't
fully understand his new scheme yet. That could be devastating. I agree
with keeping him out. HOWEVER, I see no reason not to give Chad Lucas a
try. He has a much stronger arm. Supposedly, he is more inaccurate, but
that's in practice. In practice, Pete looks _good_. In games, well... maybe
Chad is one of those guys who plays _better_ in the game.

>  The defensive line and pass rush still look suspect, but I know that
>  Leon Fuller will get his defense to improve very fast. If they don't,
>  they are in for a long day at Dallas soon.  

Expect the long year. There isn't as much talent there, and little to no depth.

>  Heard that Miss State had 8 turnovers in this week's loss !   Why didnt
>  they do that against Texas ? Come to think of it, nobody seems to have
>  had more than 3 turnovers against Texas in the last 7 years (except OU
>  once perhaps !). Wonder why Texas never seems to get many breaks, except
>  may be against Rice...

Oh, I think we got plenty of "breaks" in the 10-1 season two years ago.
Teams make their own breaks, more often than not. We don't have the players
who drill guys and force fumbles, and the D-line is not good enough to
force the QB to throw before he is ready. Our DBs are going to get burned this
year, despite being a very talented group, because o fthe lack of pressure.

>  Jay  (the other one !)
>
>  R. Jayakrishnan,  UC Irvine.

Jay (the original one?)

-- 
----------------------------------
  John R. Boisseau ("Jay")        
  Department of Astronomy         
  University of Texas at Austin