Inside UT Football: September 28, 2000

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Subject: Inside UT Football: September 28, 2000

[IMAGE] =09 [IMAGE] =20

=09
=09
=09[IMAGE]
=09
=09
=09Bring on the Big 12=20
=09=20
=09Sept. 28, 2000=20
=09=20
=09
=09[IMAGE]Chip Brown, The Dallas Morning News' Texas writer, answers your=
=20
questions about the offense, Hodges Mitchell, the quarterbacks, Oklahoma=20
State, Texas-OU start time and much more.=20
=09
=09=20
=09E-mail questions to Chip: chipbrown@dallasnews.com=20
=09
=09
=09=20
=09Listen to Chip Brown talk about the Longhorns on
=09dallasnews.com's Colleges site=20
=09
=09
=09
=09CHIP SHOTS=20
=09=20
=09
=09Ricky Williams will be on hand Saturday to remind Longhorns fans what it=
was=20
like when UT could run the ball. Williams' No. 34 jersey will be retired ju=
st=20
prior to the Longhorns' entrance and the coin toss for Saturday's 11 a.m. B=
ig=20
12 opening kickoff against Oklahoma State. Only one other UT jersey has bee=
n=20
retired and it belongs to the school's only other Heisman Trophy winner -=
=20
Earl Campbell's No. 20.=20
=09
=09 UT officials wanted to do this last year, but Texas didn't have a home =
game=20
when Williams' New Orleans Saints were off. This week, the Saints have a by=
e.=20
=09
=09 Just a refresher, Williams left Texas with 21 NCAA records and 46 UT=20
records. Among his 15 NCAA career records that still stand are his 7,206=20
all-purpose yards, 11,200-yard rushing games and 6.2 yards per carry. His=
=20
6,279 rushing yards, 72 rushing touchdowns and 75 total touchdowns rank=20
second on the NCAA all-time career lists.=20
=09
=09 Williams claimed the NCAA rushing titles in 1997 and 1998 and was the N=
CAA=20
scoring leader in 1997.=20
=09
=09 This came in from one of the readers this week: =20
=09
=09 Just wanted to let you know that a multimedia (CD-ROM) tribute to Ricky=
=20
Williams has been available for almost a year. It contains video showing=20
Ricky breaking about 10 records, a panoramic tour of the UT football=20
facilities, Ricky Williams personal scrapbooks, his rings and trophies in 3=
D,=20
and a few other notable features. Unfortunately the company that produced t=
he=20
CD-ROM (called Run Ricky!) has gone out of business due to the fact the NCA=
A=20
would not allow the company to release the title during the summer. But the=
=20
CD-ROM is still available at the Texas co-op and Longhorns Ltd. at=20
DKR-Memorial.=20
=09
=09
=09
=09=20
=09Longhorn Q & A=20
=09 Q: What is the start time for the Texas-Oklahoma game?=20
=09 ?? Sanford Gaines=20
=09
=09 BROWN: The Texas OU-game is 11 a.m. Oct. 7 at the Cotton Bowl in Dalla=
s.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09[IMAGE]=20
=09Ivan Williams =20
=09
=09Q: Last year, the coaches raved about Ivan Williams and almost took off =
his=20
redshirt. Now, a year later, he hasn't gotten a sniff at real playing time =
at=20
tailback. What happened to tailback by committee? It seems like we could us=
e=20
a bigger back (given the lack of blocking prowess by the O-line).=20
=09?? Bob Nance=20
=09
=09
=09
=09 BROWN: Good question. The coaches took a good look at everyone in the=
=20
Houston game. They came away thinking that Kenny Hayter needs some more=20
carries. They still think that Ivan Williams is developing the toughness=20
needed to run in college. In the Louisiana-Lafayette game, coaches thought =
he=20
was running tentatively.=20
=09
=09Just as an aside, Hodges Mitchell says the running game is going to cut =
loose=20
this week. He says this season has been just like last season. For three=20
games, the running game has been Nikes stuck in glue. But he says this week=
=20
is the week. If it is, there would be no better confidence-builder than to =
do=20
it against the nation's top rushing defense. OSU is giving up just 30.3 yar=
ds=20
per game rushing this season. (Texas is fourth nationally against the run,=
=20
yielding 47.0 ypg). I think it will be tough sledding for the UT RBs this=
=20
week. Should be a good passing game, though.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: Many of us who discuss this frequently still question the play-calli=
ng on=20
offense, and feel that Texas can never win a national championship with Gre=
g=20
Davis as offensive coordinator. Any comments?=20
=09?? Reggie Reeves=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Davis is not the problem. His offenses routinely rate among the=
=20
nation's best in either rushing, passing or total offense. This season, UT =
is=20
fourth nationally in pass offense (366.5 yards per game). The running game=
=20
stinks. But he has gotten the passing game to the top with a quarterback=20
rotation that appears to have kept both Major Applewhite and Chris Simms fr=
om=20
peaking and with receivers who are barely old enough to shave.=20
=09
=09Davis is in constant contact with Gary Kubiak of the Denver Broncos. The=
=20
Broncos are considered one of the most cutting-edge offenses in the NFL.=20
Davis is constantly tapping into Kubiak and trying to bring in new wrinkles=
=20
to the UT offense. I don't know if anyone works harder than he does. Plus,=
=20
the quarterbacks love him. Even if they don't love this rotation, they love=
=20
him. I have seen no signs that this rotation has eroded that relationship.
=09
=09Davis is solid. In fact, if there is a UT coach who could leave the staf=
f in=20
the near future for a head job or head coordinator job in the NFL, it's Gre=
g=20
Davis.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: In your first newsletter I asked you why is everyone so excited abou=
t=20
this year's team when they showed last year that they could not run the=20
football. Against the big boys, you better have more balance. You replied=
=20
that the line is one year older and should be better. No, Chip, sorry, but=
=20
they are less than a year older since they struggled at the end of the seas=
on=20
with running and picking up blitzes. Now, not to say I told you so, but it =
is=20
still a serious problem that you sports writers overlooked and got too caug=
ht=20
up in the QB hype and the great receiving corps. Shame on you.=20
=09
=09Maybe that offensive line is not as great as you guys thought? I see UT =
going=20
8-3 this year and hanging around at 15th, which is where they should be. Th=
ey=20
are still young and not hungry enough as evidenced by poor starts against=
=20
really bad teams. Horn fans and sportswriters need to be a bit more patient=
=20
this year and take off their blinders. Maybe being a sportswriter during my=
=20
days at UT helped me see through the hype. Hook'em! =20
=09?? Larry, Dallas=20
=09
=09 BROWN: I thought this offensive line would be much better than it's sh=
own=20
this season, but I wouldn't give up on them. Everyone saw UT's third=20
possession against Houston in which Leonard Davis and Derrick Dockery - two=
=20
guys I think have to take leadership roles on that line - allowed a DE to g=
o=20
untouched right between them and stuff the running back for a 6-yard loss.=
=20
=09
=09This kind of play should be a deep concern for UT coaches. Dockery has b=
een=20
sick, and is still trying to regain weight lost while out with an infected=
=20
cyst. Davis has struggled to get chemistry with Dockery's backup, Tillman=
=20
Holloway. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis says the line tends to play bett=
er=20
in the second half than it does in the first half because it takes a while=
=20
for them to get on the same page and see what the defense is doing. That,=
=20
however, may be too late against a good team.=20
=09
=09The old adage goes that you have to have a senior-laden offensive line t=
o=20
have any real chance at a national title or Top 10 success. So far, that=20
appears to be true. Texas' O-line has just two seniors (Leonard Davis, Cory=
=20
Quye), two juniors (Antwan Kirk-Hughes, Matt Anderson) and a sophomore=20
(Derrick Dockery). =20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: How frustrated is Chris Simms with his lack of playing time? In the=
=20
off-season I kept hearing about how most of the players were really impress=
ed=20
with the passing abilities of Simms. Are any of the players now questioning=
=20
why Chris is not playing more than he is?=20
=09?? Jeff Weaver, Dallas=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Simms said this week that the rotation is difficult. But player=
s=20
have not chosen sides. Simms says there are times when he makes a mistake a=
nd=20
would love to go back in and correct it, even though his rotation is up and=
=20
Major Applewhite is coming in. The questions for both guys are constant.=20
=09
=09Simms also said there are times when he knows it's his last series befor=
e=20
Applewhite comes in, and it's third-and-17 and he's tempted to throw a deep=
=20
pass to try to make something happen and stay in the game. Against Houston,=
=20
he had a situation like that and opted to throw a 6-yard route to B.J.=20
Johnson, the safer choice. "It was the smarter thing to do," he said.=20
=09
=09My theory was that the coaches would try to get Simms as much playing ti=
me as=20
possible in the first four games to show what he can do. And then, come=20
Oklahoma, the coaches settle on one QB. After the OSU game, I think the=20
coaches need to settle on one guy for awhile and give credence to the=20
hot-hand policy Brown said he would employ this season. The question is, wi=
ll=20
Simms get enough snaps to show he deserves to be that guy? Right now, coach=
es=20
have tended to lean on Applewhite whenever it's crunch time.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09[IMAGE]=20
=09Major Applewhite =20
=09
=09Q: Major Applewhite has become the red-headed straight-A student who is=
=20
having to contend with the jock favored son. Mack Brown has to appease alum=
s=20
and parents (Simms') who want to see Phil Simms' son as UT's QB. I think wh=
at=20
is being done is a ... (I have to say it) ... a Major Injustice.=20
=09 ?? A "Major" Longhorn fan from Dallas=20
=09
=09 BROWN: I think there is a misconception out there that Phil Simms is=
=20
constantly calling Mack Brown, demanding that he give Chris more playing=20
time. Or that Mack Brown made some deal with the Simms family, assuring=20
everyone that Chris would get playing time. None of that is true.=20
=09
=09According to Chris, the only assurance he received is that he would be=
=20
allowed to =20
=09
=09compete for the starting job. So far, that's what's happened. Now, whet=
her=20
Chris continues to make the most of his playing time and shows that he=20
deserves to get substantial minutes remains to be seen.=20
=09
=09It's hard to argue with Applewhite's results so far this season. Here's =
a=20
breakdown of their stats: Applewhite is 49 of 87 passing (56.3 percent=20
completion rate) for 729 yards with 6 TDs and 3 interceptions. He has a QB=
=20
rating of 142.57. Simms has completed 19 of 36 passes (52.8 percent) for 25=
7=20
yards with three TDs and three interceptions. His QB rating is 123.58. But=
=20
Brown is not trying to appease Simms as much as he is trying to see what=20
Simms can do.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: Is the quarterback rotation hurting the UT offense?=20
=09?? Sara McFadden=20
=09
=09 BROWN: I asked Major Applewhite if he was playing up to his ability th=
is=20
season. He said no. I asked him if Chris Simms was playing as well as he=20
could. Applewhite said no. If one or the other was given the QB job until h=
e=20
lost the hot hand, you wonder if there might be some more rhythm to this=20
offense. But it's almost impossible to know.=20
=09
=09The players say it doesn't matter who is playing QB, they're both solid.=
It=20
is hard to argue that Major shouldn't be the man. All he's done is win and=
=20
break records. Simms is still adjusting to college ball and not being "the=
=20
man" for the first time in his competitive life. Every time he has walked=
=20
onto a football field, he's been Phil Simms' kid and the top choice to play=
=20
QB. Now, he's battling with a guy who has Major results.=20
=09
=09I thought that the rotation was hurting the offense. But offensive=20
coordinator Greg Davis justifiably pointed out to me that UT has passed for=
=20
more yards through three games this year than it did last year. So I decide=
d=20
to break everything down in the passing game, comparing UT's offense throug=
h=20
three games this year to the first three games of 1999. While Texas has mor=
e=20
passing yards (986 in 2000 to 940 in 1999) and more TD passes (9 in 2000 to=
7=20
in 1999), the combined completion percentage of both QBs is down (55.3 in=
=20
2000 to 61.6 in 1999). UT also has more interceptions this year (6 in 2000 =
to=20
1 in 1999). And one of those picks was returned for a touchdown.=20
=09
=09I tend to think Applewhite's numbers would be much better if he were all=
owed=20
to start and stay in. Of course, Simms would have better numbers, too, if h=
e=20
got to play most of the game. But by sharing, I think both of their=20
production is down. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to this=20
rotation. We'll see how long everyone can keep a positive attitude about=20
this. Davis said Tuesday he could see the team rotating both quarterbacks a=
ll=20
season long. =20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: What is the source of greater confusion for the O-line: opposing=20
defenses' tactics or Texas' own offensive scheme? In other words, is the=
=20
offense too complex so that they don't know their assignments or are they=
=20
simply being outplayed? =20
=09 ?? Rowell Rogers, Denton, Texas=20
=09
=09 BROWN: The offensive linemen, quarterbacks and coaches all say that th=
ey=20
have seen a slew of junk defenses through the first three games. Coach Mack=
=20
Brown said Louisiana-Lafayette, Stanford and Houston did not use defensive=
=20
schemes that they had shown in previous games.=20
=09
=09Brown's contention is that other teams can make their season by beating =
UT,=20
so they gamble and throw a bunch of risky blitzes at the Longhorns. Against=
=20
Stanford, UT wasn't good enough to make the Cardinal pay. So, according to =
UT=20
personnel, the defenses have been new. Now that it's the fourth game of the=
=20
season, one would think there are only so many defenses the O-line hasn't=
=20
seen. The excuses are running out.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09
=09[IMAGE]=20
=09Ricky Brown =20
=09
=09Q: It appears to me that Texas really misses the blocking of Ricky Brown=
,=20
both in the running game and in the blitz pick-up. Who is Texas recruiting =
to=20
replace him? I don't question Matt Trissel's effort, but he just doesn't se=
em=20
to be getting it done for Texas. =20
=09?? Bart Jacobs=20
=09
=09 BROWN: The coaches are recruiting a fullback named James Buchanan of=
=20
Sarasota, Fla., Cardinal Mooney, who is also being pursued by Florida State=
=20
and Florida. But they are happy with Matt Trissel. They say he's young and=
=20
needs a little more time to get adjusted to the fullback position after=20
excelling at linebacker in high school. Mack Brown considers Trissel a lead=
er=20
on the offense despite his status as a redshirt freshman. He's had some=20
botched blocking assignments, but so have all the other backs.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: Despite a visit from the nutritionist during the off-season, and a m=
uch=20
publicized weight loss, the offensive line still appears overweight and slo=
w.=20
What is Jeff Madden doing the rectify this problem? If this problem=20
persists, =20
=09
=09might Texas be looking to hire a new strength coach? I know Madden is a =
good=20
friend of Mack Brown's, but production has to be the bottom line, and right=
=20
now, it appears Madden isn't getting it done. I enjoy your newsletter. Than=
k=20
you for your time.=20
=09?? James Taglienti=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Madden is someone I consider UT's secret weapon. He's much more=
than=20
a coach for this team. He works their bodies and minds and can be credited=
=20
with getting this team to believe that it could beat Nebraska back in 1998.=
=20
The players love and respect him even though he works them to the ground.=
=20
None of the breakdowns so far this season can be attributed to Madden.=20
Physically, the players are in good shape. Their problems are mental. Madde=
n=20
is one of the most valued members of the staff. ?
=09
=09 Q: Are there any hopes for a national championship considering the loss=
to =20
Stanford?=20
=09?? Liddy Newsome=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Anything is possible. Texas would need Nebraska to remain=20
undefeated, and then hope the other top 10 teams pick up a loss or two. If=
=20
Texas could go unbeaten the rest of the way and beat an undefeated and No. =
1=20
Nebraska in the Big 12 title game, the Longhorns could possibly get lucky a=
nd=20
end up in the Orange Bowl. But that is about as long a shot as Ricky Willia=
ms=20
suiting up for UT this Saturday.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: I have heard a lot about how much talent Chance Mock has. How does h=
is =20
talent compare to that of Chris Simms? If he wouldn't have redshirted, coul=
d=20
he have beat out Chris or possibly Major Applewhite as the main guy?=20
=09?? Brett Holmes=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Not a chance. No pun intended. Mock asked to redshirt because h=
e has=20
much to learn and wants to step in after Simms and Applewhite move on.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: I think Hodges Mitchell is a good kid, with a good pedigree ... and=
=20
there's the rub. Is Coach Brown too in love with this kid? Is he doing an o=
ld=20
friend a favor by keeping this kid in the game? He had a decent season last=
=20
year, especially coming out of the shadow of Ricky Williams, but I have see=
n=20
nothing this year that suggests anything close to that this season.=20
=09
=09I cannot blame the O-line and here is why: For a prototypical "scat-back=
,"=20
Hodges seems to run to traffic. There were several plays last week where a=
=20
quick step one way or the other would have gotten him to more open field.=
=20
Instead he would run right into the defense. Does he just not have the=20
"vision" required of a good running back? I cannot believe that he is that=
=20
much better than the other running backs on the roster. Are the rest that=
=20
bad? There has to be more to the story.=20
=09?? Roy Cassas=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Mitchell apparently needs to be pushed to the brink of losing h=
is=20
job to really find traction. Last year, he was on the verge of losing his j=
ob=20
to Victor Ike when he started to really cut loose on the way to 1,300 yards=
=20
rushing and 300 yards receiving. He says he is ready to cut loose, again (i=
n=20
the fourth game, just like last year). The problem is, Texas is playing=20
Oklahoma State this week, who has the nation's No. 1 defense against the ru=
n.=20
Last year, Mitchell broke a couple draws on Oklahoma State and ran for 149=
=20
yards. We'll see if he can shake the slump he's in. Otherwise, look for Ike=
=20
and Kenny Hayter to start getting more of the load.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: In your most recent "Inside UT Football" you mentioned that stations=
on=20
the UT football network are listed on the texassports.com Web site. I have=
=20
another suggestion for people such as me who live in other parts of the=20
country, or overseas. I have found that all (I think) NCAA top 25 broadcast=
s=20
are carried on http://sports.yahoo.com/. They carry all NFL radio broadcast=
s=20
as well. One of the beauties about this site is that if you don't like one=
=20
set of announcers you can usually switch over to those who carry the opposi=
ng=20
team. As my grandson would say, "And that's really cool." I enjoy your week=
ly=20
newsletter very much. Keep it up. =20
=09?? Bud Sloan, Reno, Nev.=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Thanks for sharing, Bud. Hope this helps some other folks.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: Why does Coach Mack Brown reject criticism with cynicism, yet accept=
=20
praise with zeal? To illustrate my point, Coach Brown became terse while=20
citing fans as "... being negative and openly critical ..." (i.e., four=20
losses in five games, 100 net yards rushing in five games, a probable QB=20
controversy and lest we not forget, yet another blocked punt). Conversely,=
=20
Coach Brown will devour praise with carnivorous delight! Coach Brown cites=
=20
the team's emotional psyche as "... being fragile," yet Coach Brown fueled=
=20
this euphoria in the players during spring drills and prior to the season.=
=20
=09
=09Is it not the coach's responsibility to provide stability to the team's=
=20
mental and emotional state? Is Coach Brown's tenure paralleling the turbule=
nt=20
and volatile path taken by rival coach Jackie Sherrill at Texas A=02?(no eg=
os in=20
that one!) during the 1980s? =20
=09?? David Newburn=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Mack Brown says all of his responses to criticism are simply to=
help=20
his players and protect them from getting unfairly ripped. Brown is very=20
sensitive to criticism. If someone criticizes the running game, he reminds=
=20
them that the passing game is rated No. 4 nationally. When someone question=
s=20
the quarterback rotation, he tells people to be positive instead of negativ=
e=20
and contends that the players are fine with it - only the media is not. I=
=20
honestly think that Brown tries to see everything in such a positive light=
=20
that he becomes personally offended at criticism and negative thinking. He=
=20
forgets that people are deeply, deeply passionate about their team. That=20
people get mad, really mad, when their team loses a game it shouldn't. Or=
=20
worse, when the team plays really lousy in losing a game it shouldn't (see=
=20
Stanford).=20
=09
=09I think Brown also believes that because he is so forthcoming in public=
=20
appearances and with the media and has done so much to restore the traditio=
n=20
to UT, that he feels betrayed when fans or the press criticize parts of his=
=20
team. He wants fans to rally behind their team, no matter what, and be the=
=20
first to pick up the team when it's down. Not pile on.=20
=09
=09But people are going to get angry when his team gives up five sacks, get=
s 10=20
penalties and gives up another blocked punt for a TD. There is no question =
he=20
is still adjusting to the intense scrutiny that comes with being at Texas.=
=20
When his team loses a game it shouldn't and plays terribly in doing so, he=
=20
will always hear it from the fans and the press, whether his team is young =
or=20
not.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: Why do you suppose the Longhorns are throwing so few really long pas=
ses=20
this year? It seems to me doing so would open up the running game like it w=
as=20
when Ricky Williams was playing.=20
=09?? Will Vernon=20
=09
=09 BROWN: They need some more time. The young receivers need a little mor=
e=20
time to adjust. But I do think that with the athleticism of the young=20
receivers, you will see more short routes that turn into long gains. Once R=
oy=20
Williams, Sloan Thomas and B.J. Johnson develop some comfort in this offens=
e,=20
I think you'll see more long pass plays.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: I just have two questions that have been frustrating for me this yea=
r.=20
The first deals with punt returns. I can respect Coach Mack Brown wanting t=
o=20
have an experienced player returning punts in order to avoid mistakes, but=
=20
why bring in so much talent and speed if you aren't going to use it? Why do=
es=20
Hodges Mitchell continue to return punts?=20
=09
=09He is too much of a dance-around, east-west runner to be successful in t=
he=20
kicking game. I realize he averaged close to 10-yds a return Saturday, but=
=20
his average was more a product of Houston's poor field position. We need a=
=20
gamebreaker returning kicks. If you trust the freshmen to play significant=
=20
minutes, why not trust them with the return game?=20
=09
=09Secondly, why do we pull Casey Hampton on third-down passing situations?=
=20
Hampton is a load and usually gets double-teamed. Why would you pull your=
=20
All-American in a situation like that? In their nickel defense, shouldn't=
=20
they push Shaun Rogers outside and leave Hampton in the middle?=20
=09?? Jeff Wilson=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Brown trusts Mitchell not to get tight and muff a punt return i=
n=20
front of 80,000 people. That's not the greatest criteria, in my opinion. I=
=20
would like to see Nathan Vasher back there personally, just to see what he=
=20
can do. Vasher has been fearless in everything I've seen him do. Mitchell=
=20
hasn't shown breakaway moves yet. If we don't see it soon, it might be time=
=20
to give someone else a shot.=20
=09
=09They take Hampton out on nickel situations because they think that Shaun=
=20
Rogers is the better pass rusher from the tackle position. There has been n=
o=20
talk about moving Rogers to end in pass-rush situations. =20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: Coach Mack Brown appeared to be auditioning for the head coach job a=
t the=20
University of Oklahoma in the last minutes of the Houston game. Apparently=
=20
unsatisfied with a 40-0 lead and two minutes to go, the Horns unloaded a lo=
ng=20
pass from the arm of Chris Simms who hadn't been able to do anything all=20
night. Just when everyone was ready to run the clock out, Brown, or Simms=
=20
(whoever was in charge), elected to do whatever necessary to humiliate our=
=20
guests even more by rubbing their noses in it. I, for one, was not very pro=
ud=20
of being a Texas-ex for the last two minutes of that game. Texas football=
=20
traditions took a hard blow in that Switzer-like move. Shame.=20
=09?? Jim Ball, Class of '57, Big Sandy, Texas=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Mack Brown says he had Simms throwing late in the game to get=
=20
experience and live snaps because there could come a time in the future whe=
re=20
Texas needs to move the ball late in a game to win, as it needed to do=20
against Stanford.=20
=09
=09The pass into the end zone to Sloan Thomas in the waning seconds was a=
=20
checkoff that Chris Simms made. Mack Brown said he wished that Simms hadn't=
=20
done that. But Simms actually made the right read. Simms said he bobbled th=
e=20
snap or it would have been a touchdown.=20
=09
=09There was a huge outpouring of criticism for having Simms pass the ball =
when=20
UT needs experience running the ball. What better time to work on running t=
he=20
ball than at the end of the game? There is an argument to be made there. Ma=
ck=20
Brown said his team got criticized for not being able to hold onto the ball=
=20
and run out the clock after taking a lead at the end of the Stanford game.=
=20
Now, he says he's being criticized for moving the ball at the end of the=20
Houston game.=20
=09
=09"We get hammered either way," Brown said. He added that he wasn't trying=
to=20
run it up on Houston for the chop block that led to Shaun Rogers' injury, a=
nd=20
he wasn't trying to pay back the Cougars for what John Jenkins used to do i=
n=20
running it up. He said the team was just working to get better.=20
=09?
=09
=09
=09 Q: What happened to Sneezy Beltran, the much-heralded running back out =
of =20
Abilene High?=20
=09?? Eddie Alvarado=20
=09
=09 BROWN: Beltran has asked to redshirt this season.=20
=09
=09
=09
=09
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be,=20
sign up at: Newsletter Registration=20
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this newsletter, go to: Newsletter Registration =20
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=09Questions? Comments? Suggestions? =20
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=09 © Copyright 2000 The Dallas Morning News=20
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