The 2011 Texas Longhorns will be under the microscope throughout the season– the attention and scrutiny from the media, fans, alumni and students will be as intense as it has been in recent memory.
Each of these groups has their own stake in the success of the football team, and will have differing levels of patience.
No matter how you cut it, Mack Brown, his coaching staff, and the players must be successful in 2011.
To get there, some major risks will have to be taken.
The time for conservatism and caution is long-gone.
Gone with Greg Davis and the old-school offensive philosophy.
Gone with the 5-7 2010 record.
Could the biggest risk imaginable be just the risk that Mack Brown takes?
Could true freshman David Ash be the starter at quarterback on opening day for the Longhorns?
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Hardly a sunshine and daffodils move, starting David Ash would have some definite reprocussions:
- Case McCoy, Connor Wood, and for that matter, Garrett Gilbert, would immediately become transfer risks after being jumped on the depth chart by a true freshman. Transfers are certainly nothing new in the QB ranks at Texas (i.e. Jevan Sneed (Ole Miss), G.J. Kinne (Tulsa)) so it’s something that would surprise few.
- Team chemistry could be shaken if upperclassmen have allegiance to Gilbert as the starter– which, in fact, doesn’t appear to be the case at all, the opposite is actually the case.
- By going all in, Mack Brown takes a risk which could backfire miserably, causing him to lose the team well before conference play even begins.
On the flipside, if Brown does decide to roll the dice, and Ash succeeds, everyone will be happy– at least in the short-term.
As they say on the Forty Acres, the backup quarterback is the most popular man on campus, and, for now, Ash is just that guy.
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For a quarterback to be successful at the Division I level, he must be a natural leader, and have the unwavering support of those whom they enter battle with on Saturdays.
Garrett Gilbert never has, and in all likelihood, will never have this support from his teammates.
Gilbert is a junior and has yet to earn respect.
This is due to several factors including his lack of confidence, general inability to make big plays when they need to be made, and most of all, poor body language.
When Gilbert struggles, everyone knows it, as he grabs at his shoulder pads, dips his head, and generally looks defeated. Teammates see this as weakness, and opposing defenses see it as blood in the water.
This season will be difficult enough for Texas without giving opposing defenses anything additional motivation.
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Toughness will be the most important attribute for this season’s signal-caller, and according to some of Texas’ vets, David Ash has it in spades.
In an interview yesterday afternoon, senior linebacker and spiritual captain Emmanuel Acho was quoted as follows in regards to David Ash:
“We have tried to break Ash, but we can’t. He doesn’t get rattled.”
Another senior leader, safety Blake Gideon, noted that Ash “commanded respect from the start” and got in a few people’s faces and made himself known.
Not common for an 18 year-old true freshman.
Risk can often generate reward.
Sometimes risk brings failure.
Is Mack Brown willing to take the ultimate risk to help the Longhorns get back on their feet in 2011?
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