Big 12 2010-Texas Longhorns

2009 Record: 13-1 (8-0)
Head Coach: Mack Brown (13th season, 128-27...214-101-1 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Greg Davis (13th season)
Defensive Coordinator: Will Muschamp (3rd season)
2009 Bowl Game: BCS National Championship, lost to Alabama 37-21

Offense: How do you replace a legend at QB with the loss of Colt McCoy to graduation? When McCoy went down to injury against Alabama, Longhorn fans got a glimpse of the future in Gilbert Brown. Brown is a completely different kind of QB than McCoy was, and won't run as much, but he showed some real promise. You can still expect a learning curve from him, as he is only a sophomore. There is no true starter at TB, with several players expected in a rotation.Tre Newton is the closest thing to a starter, but Chris Whaley had a huge spring game, and Fozzy Whittaker is also forcing his way in. There is a huge loss at WR as well, with Jordan Shipley moving on. Malcolm Williams returns, as does James Kirkendoll, and John Chiles and Marquise Goodwin are also capable. There is a new TE in Barrett Matthews, and the line has to be rebuilt from center right.

Defense: 7 starters return from 2009. Sam Acho returns at DE, and he is a beast (pre-season AA). He had 10 sacks last season, when he wasn't the primary rusher. Alex Okafor looks to be the starter at the other end. NT Kheeston Randall returns, and Calvin Howell looks to have won the DT job in the spring. There is solid depth at LB in Emannuel Acho and Keenan Robinson, while new starter Dravannti Johnson has the coaches all fired up about his potential. Curtis Brown and Chykie Brown are NFL type corners for the Horns. Aaron Williams will be the nickel back, and he could start anywhere else. Blake Gideon returns at FS.

Special Teams: Justin Tucker is the new full time PK, as he handled kickoffs last season. John Gold will move into the punter spot.

2010 Schedule

Wins: 9/4 Rice, 9/11 Wyoming, 9/18 @ Texas Tech, 9/25 UCLA, 10/23 Iowa State, 10/30 Baylor, 11/6 @ Kansas State, 11/13 Oklahoma State, 11/20 Florida Atlantic, 11/25 Texas A&M

Toss Up Games: 10/2 Oklahoma (@ Dallas), 10/16 @ Nebraska

Losses: None

There is a really tough stretch with UCLA, Oklahoma, and Nebraska coming all in a row. If the Horns can survive that, than the rest is cake.

Outlook: A shot at another title is on the table. The Horns are loaded on defense, and the offense will get 3 weeks to warm up before that three week test in the schedule. If a solid running game develops, and Brown doesn't play QB like a sophomore, great things can happen again in Austin. The Oklahoma game will decide the winner of the Big 12 South once again.