COPY RIGHTS – IF YOU CANT BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM… OR AT LEAST IMITATE THEM

SEVERAL SPRINGS AGO, a few months after the Texas football team lost to Alabama in the BCS National Championship game, coach Mack Brown decided enough was enough. Brown stood on the sideline, alongside an injured Colt McCoy, and watched as the ….

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 Crimson Tide’s potent rush game shredded his defense and kept the ball away from a potential Longhorn comeback. When Texas did get its chance on offense, Alabama unleashed an aggressive, unrelenting defense. Alabama’s ability to attack either side of the ball resulted in a dominating win, and a national championship. Brown could put a team like that on the field — and his actions after the Rose Bowl loss were those of a determined man. He said he wanted the Longhorns to be tougher, to put more emphasis on the run game, to attack with bigger, stronger defensive players to keep down the scoring in the point-happy Big 12 Conference.

In essence, he sounded like he wanted the Longhorns to be more like a Southeastern Conference team. The idea was a great one. Since Texas beat USC for the whole enchilada in 2005, teams from the SEC have won the past six national titles. Heck, even Texas A&M up and joined the SEC, thinking they’d become a better team through osmosis. And as a side note to the Aggies: just because you’re running with the thoroughbreds doesn’t make you a race horse. Texas didn’t take such drastic measures. Instead, the Longhorns decided to simply imitate the play of the top teams in the SEC. Texas faced one problem, however. They didn’t have the personnel to play SEC-type football on either side of the ball. Changing to that form of attack and defense in 2010 led to unforgettable 5-7 showing, as well as rumblings on-and-off the 40 Acres that the game may have passed by Brown and his staff. Brown made the necessary changes. Jump ahead to the first weekend of the 2012 season.

The Longhorns enter this season coming off a respectable 8-5 campaign in 2011, a Holiday Bowl win over Cal and a spring where their best athletes peaked at the right time. This team could be the team Brown envisioned two years ago. Texas has two — maybe three — running backs that can carry the load, as well as a powerful offensive line that blocks in schemes, allowing those runners to head downhill when they hit the line. The Longhorns’ defense, led by five likely firstround NFL draft picks, can swarm to the ball and punish runners, pass catchers and quarterbacks who dare to challenge them. David Ash will need to prove himself throughout the first part of the 2012 season.

An SEC-style quarterback acts as facilitator rather than a gaudy, stats-driven spotlight magnet. If Ash can mimic this style of play, he’ll get the job done. The Longhorns are deep — another Brown dictum — and talented across the board. Twelve true freshmen played in Texas’ season-opening win against Wyoming, a trend also employed by the SEC. If Brown has his way, Texas will shorten the game and limit the opponent’s offensive chances with a Longhorn offense that doesn’t make mistakes, and takes chances with the big play. Brown says he wants balance between the run and pass game — specifically 500 yards of total offense a game split evenly between the ground and the air. Wouldn’t we all? Fans will have to wait and see how the Longhorns’ new prowess will succeed against the Big 12’s top dogs, such as Oklahoma, West Virginia, Kansas State and TCU. But early returns are positive, and such returns allow Texas to regain its swagger.

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