colleyvillesooner
10/3/2007, 01:42 PM
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/100307dnspoutdefense.2cfc64a.html
UT defense plays follow the leader
12:19 AM CDT on Wednesday, October 3, 2007
By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
The words were part advice, part criticism.
Vince Young earned the right to speak his mind by doing what no Texas quarterback had done since James Street, and performing like no quarterback ever had in a national title game. Last weekend, he suggested the current Longhorns need a dose of leadership.
"This team right here has all the talent in the world," Young said Saturday. "They just need to pull together."
But where will the leadership come from?
The defense, with veterans who remember what Young and others brought to the table in 2005, showed signs it might be ready.
History and personality indicate that quarterback Colt McCoy is a quiet leader. Plus, he's nursing the symptoms of a mild concussion and dealing with life behind unstable pass protection.
The offensive line has its own documented problems.
The special teams, long a given under Mark Brown, yielded a kickoff return and a punt return for touchdowns against Kansas State.
That leaves the defense.
"It's definitely a process," said Frank Okam, the senior defensive tackle from Lake Highlands. "You're not granted or given leadership. It's something that's earned."
First-year defensive coordinator Duane Akina tried to accelerate the process this week.
Instead of having the defense watch game film in segmented groups (tackles, ends, linebackers), the players are setting aside time to watch as one unit.
While Akina said it helps him make points without repeating himself, the communal approach has other benefits.
"As you're watching tape collectively, it does just kind of unite," Akina said, emphasizing the last word. "This is probably a week, as a Texas football team, we need to talk about uniting and circling and being together."
Any chance of beating Oklahoma probably starts with the defense.
Through four games, the Sooners were an offensive force, averaging 61.5 points a game.
Then came Colorado. The Buffaloes managed to hold them to seven second-half points for a 27-24 upset win.
Texas has only shown flashes of coming together as a defense, despite ranking 22nd nationally.
The Longhorns were outgained by Arkansas State and allowed nearly 200 yards rushing to Central Florida.
Earlier this week, senior defensive tackle Derek Lokey of Denton Ryan said all the right things about putting Kansas State in perspective.
"We lost a game, and that's bad and we're disappointed about that," Lokey said. "But you can't let one loss keep building up and building up like it's the worst thing that ever happened. You can't make it seem like the team's going down the drain because we lost one game."
Lokey said the team was headed in the right direction. But after the loss and embarrassing off-field issues, what makes him think that?
"I think after a loss, your team can go one of two ways: together or apart," Lokey said. "I think this team is pulling together."
UT defense plays follow the leader
12:19 AM CDT on Wednesday, October 3, 2007
By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
The words were part advice, part criticism.
Vince Young earned the right to speak his mind by doing what no Texas quarterback had done since James Street, and performing like no quarterback ever had in a national title game. Last weekend, he suggested the current Longhorns need a dose of leadership.
"This team right here has all the talent in the world," Young said Saturday. "They just need to pull together."
But where will the leadership come from?
The defense, with veterans who remember what Young and others brought to the table in 2005, showed signs it might be ready.
History and personality indicate that quarterback Colt McCoy is a quiet leader. Plus, he's nursing the symptoms of a mild concussion and dealing with life behind unstable pass protection.
The offensive line has its own documented problems.
The special teams, long a given under Mark Brown, yielded a kickoff return and a punt return for touchdowns against Kansas State.
That leaves the defense.
"It's definitely a process," said Frank Okam, the senior defensive tackle from Lake Highlands. "You're not granted or given leadership. It's something that's earned."
First-year defensive coordinator Duane Akina tried to accelerate the process this week.
Instead of having the defense watch game film in segmented groups (tackles, ends, linebackers), the players are setting aside time to watch as one unit.
While Akina said it helps him make points without repeating himself, the communal approach has other benefits.
"As you're watching tape collectively, it does just kind of unite," Akina said, emphasizing the last word. "This is probably a week, as a Texas football team, we need to talk about uniting and circling and being together."
Any chance of beating Oklahoma probably starts with the defense.
Through four games, the Sooners were an offensive force, averaging 61.5 points a game.
Then came Colorado. The Buffaloes managed to hold them to seven second-half points for a 27-24 upset win.
Texas has only shown flashes of coming together as a defense, despite ranking 22nd nationally.
The Longhorns were outgained by Arkansas State and allowed nearly 200 yards rushing to Central Florida.
Earlier this week, senior defensive tackle Derek Lokey of Denton Ryan said all the right things about putting Kansas State in perspective.
"We lost a game, and that's bad and we're disappointed about that," Lokey said. "But you can't let one loss keep building up and building up like it's the worst thing that ever happened. You can't make it seem like the team's going down the drain because we lost one game."
Lokey said the team was headed in the right direction. But after the loss and embarrassing off-field issues, what makes him think that?
"I think after a loss, your team can go one of two ways: together or apart," Lokey said. "I think this team is pulling together."