Everyone has an opinion. Ask around town … most people tell you that the Longhorns will only go as far as David Ash takes them or that a Big 12 Championship rests on the shoulders of the Longhorn defense. Others like Ben Kercheval from the Bleacher Report think it is the running game, and I agree. Sure, David Ash and the Longhorn defense needs to perform at a high level to ensure at return to the top, but I firmly believe the position that can be the catalysts for success is running back.
(See Also: College GameDay Predictions: Big 12 Champion, Heisman Winner, National Champion)
A strong running game sets up open looks downfield and keeps the defense resting on the sideline. Johnathan Gray worked hard in the off-season and by all accounts has looked [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] great. With Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron in the backfield, the Texas Longhorns have one heck of a 1-2-3 punch … definitely the best in the Big 12 and possibly all of college football.
Kercheval writes: Texas has the deepest, most talented backfield in the Big 12 with Johnathan Gray, Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown. The three combined for just under 1,600 yards a year ago with 23 touchdowns (Bergeron received a bulk of those with 16)—a good but not great statistic considering Brown was slowed with an ankle injury and UT was held to under 100 yards on the ground in three of its four losses in 2012.
That should improve this time around with an even more experienced offensive line. Quarterback David Ash has unquestionably demonstrated he can run as well, though with such a solid group of players in the backfield, that responsibility shouldn’t rest entirely on him.
A good rushing attack can open up a lot of other options on offense. If there’s a point where the receiving group is back up to full strength, a solid run game is only going to make them more dangerous.
There could be a lot of ways for Texas to hurt opponents with the number of offensive weapons it possesses. The Longhorns will be able to utilize them to their fullest extent—or, at the very least, effectively—if the ground game can get going.
What are your thoughts? Sound off!
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