http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/players/mason_walters/98309 Recent articles about Mason Walters en-us The dog days of summer will be upon us soon but the good news is that football is right around the corner. The 2013 football season could be a decade defining moment for the entire state of University of Texas athletics. The resurgence of our friends in College Station along with the current three year dismal performance of the football team has led us all to take pause and realize everything Mack has built over the past 15 years is not only at stake, but could have ramifications for years to come if 2013 does not end with at least a Big 12 title & a BCS bowl. With that said a few thoughts…. 2013 is a MAJOR DEAL: Mack needs to trust Major to run the show on offense and give Applewhite full autonomy to call the plays as he see fits. Will this happen? We can’t know for sure but Mack is a smart guy and he knows his legacy is at stake. Defense, Defense, Defense: The 2012 version of the Texas defense was like waking up the next morning with the 250 pound chick who looked 125 at 3am. ... Sun, 12 May 2013 21:59:32 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/big_mikes_random_thoughts_on_a_sunday_night/13603196 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/big_mikes_random_thoughts_on_a_sunday_night/13603196 Big Mike’s random thoughts on a Sunday night http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/big_mikes_random_thoughts_on_a_sunday_night/13603196 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- There will be a time not long from now that Kansas State's players will gather to reflect on the season, one that's brought unimaginable joy along with soul-crushing heartache. It's not that time just yet. Despite a loss two weeks ago to Baylor that knocked the seventh-ranked Wildcats from national title consideration, they still have plenty to play for Saturday against No. 23 Texas: The third conference championship in school history and an automatic BCS bowl berth. Not a bad consolation prize for a team expected to finish somewhere in the middle of the Big 12, but that rose to No. 1 in the BCS standings before that lousy night in Waco. "I haven't reflected back on the season. I haven't reflected forward," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said this week. "I have reflected on our most recent game and our preparation for the game coming up. That's where my attention has been." It certainly hasn't been on No. 12 Oklahoma, which plays TCU Fri, 30 Nov 2012 11:17:02 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/k_state_faces_must_win_game_against_texas/12330082 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/k_state_faces_must_win_game_against_texas/12330082 K-State faces must-win game against Texas http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/k_state_faces_must_win_game_against_texas/12330082 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) There will be a time not long from now that Kansas State's players will gather to reflect on the season, one that's brought unimaginable joy along with soul-crushing heartache. It's not that time just yet. Despite a loss two weeks ago to Baylor that knocked the seventh-ranked Wildcats from national title consideration, they still have plenty to play for Saturday against No. 23 Texas: The third conference championship in school history and an automatic BCS bowl berth. Not a bad consolation prize for a team expected to finish somewhere in the middle of the Big 12, but that rose to No. 1 in the BCS standings before that lousy night in Waco. "I haven't reflected back on the season. I haven't reflected forward," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said this week. "I have reflected on our most recent game and our preparation for the game coming up. That's where my attention has been." It certainly hasn't been on No. 12 Oklahoma, which plays TCU ea Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:40:06 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/title_at_stake_maybe_for_k_state_against_texas/12329728 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/title_at_stake_maybe_for_k_state_against_texas/12329728 Title at stake (maybe) for K-State against Texas http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/title_at_stake_maybe_for_k_state_against_texas/12329728 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Updates. With AP Photos. By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer There will be a time not long from now that Kansas State's players will gather to reflect on the season, one that's brought unimaginable joy along with soul-crushing heartache. It's not that time just yet. Despite a loss two weeks ago to Baylor that knocked the seventh-ranked Wildcats from national title consideration, they still have plenty to play for Saturday against No. 23 Texas: The third conference championship in school history and an automatic BCS bowl berth. Not a bad consolation prize for a team expected to finish somewhere in the middle of the Big 12, but that rose to No. 1 in the BCS standings before that lousy night in Waco. ''I haven't reflected back on the season. I haven't reflected forward,'' Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said this week. ''I have reflected on our most recent game and our preparation for the game coming up. That's where my attention has been.'' It certainly h Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:08:57 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/title_at_stake_maybe_for_k_state_against_texas/12329080 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/title_at_stake_maybe_for_k_state_against_texas/12329080 Title at stake (maybe) for K-State against Texas http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/title_at_stake_maybe_for_k_state_against_texas/12329080 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png (Eds: Updates. With AP Photos.) By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer Texas has a new rival. Or make that an old one. With the breakup of the annual Texas-Texas A&M rivalry after more than 100 years, the No. 18 Longhorns will face Big 12 newcomer TCU on Thanksgiving night in a renewal of an old Southwest Conference grudge match. And the Longhorns (8-2, 5-2) acknowledged Monday that not having the Aggies to knock heads with anymore feels kind of weird. ''I miss it a lot,'' senior free safety Kenny Vaccaro said. ''I wish we could play them one more time.'' Although the Longhorns and Aggies could still meet in a bowl, the annual rivalry ended last season, Texas A&M's last in the Big 12. Texas won the last game 27-25 on a last-second field goal. ''We ended it the way we needed to end it,'' junior strong safety Adrian Phillips said. Texas has played on Thanksgiving 75 times dating to 1895, including 64 games against the Aggies. Texas wanted to keep its ho Tue, 20 Nov 2012 05:45:10 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/old_rival_tcu_new_again_for_texas/12255967 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/old_rival_tcu_new_again_for_texas/12255967 Old rival TCU new again for Texas http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/old_rival_tcu_new_again_for_texas/12255967 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Texas has a new rival. Or make that an old one. With the breakup of the annual Texas-Texas A&M rivalry after more than 100 years, the No. 18 Longhorns will face Big 12 newcomer TCU on Thanksgiving night in a renewal of an old Southwest Conference grudge match. And the Longhorns (8-2, 5-2) acknowledged Monday that not having the Aggies to knock heads with anymore feels kind of weird. "I miss it a lot," senior free safety Kenny Vaccaro said. "I wish we could play them one more time." Although the Longhorns and Aggies could still meet in a bowl, the annual rivalry ended last season, Texas A&M's last in the Big 12. Texas won the last game 27-25 on a last-second field goal. "We ended it the way we needed to end it," junior strong safety Adrian Phillips said. Unlike most of last season's second half, the Longhorns are playing much better down the stretch. They've won four straight since back-to-back losses to West Virginia and Oklahoma, piling up 609 yards of Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:02:27 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/tcu_texas_preview/12254335 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/tcu_texas_preview/12254335 TCU-Texas Preview http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/tcu_texas_preview/12254335 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png When No. 19 Texas takes the field on Saturday against Iowa State, the Longhorns will be paying tribute to former coach Darrell Royal with helmet stickers bearing his ''DKR'' initials and the first play on offense, which will be run from the wishbone formation Royal introduced to major college football in 1968. Royal died this week at age 88, and the school wants to honor the coach who won two national championships, a share of a third and 11 Southwest Conference titles from 1957 to 1976. ''He built the foundation that we're working off of today,'' Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. ''He took a program that was struggling, and took it to new heights ... Helped build the university. Helped brand the university.'' It will be an emotional day for Texas coach Mack Brown, who was very close to Royal and often talked about their friendship and the mentor's role Royal had in his life. Royal was influential in Texas hiring Brown in 1997. In a statemen Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:01:43 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_to_pay_royal_tribute_against_iowa_state/12169837 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_to_pay_royal_tribute_against_iowa_state/12169837 Texas to pay Royal tribute against Iowa State http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/texas_to_pay_royal_tribute_against_iowa_state/12169837 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Texas Longhorns last won the Big 12 in 2009. Since then, they have done a whole lot of losing. Texas had losing records in Big 12 play the last two seasons, a trend the No. 12 Longhorns (3-0) hope to reverse starting Saturday night in their conference opener at defending champion Oklahoma State (2-1). A win in rowdy Stillwater would be a big step toward showing they are indeed on the road back to the top of the league. "The goal is to win the conference," Texas defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat said. "You want to win the conference? This is the first step." Texas was a league heavyweight for a decade, winning titles in 2005 and 2009, playing in the championship game in 1999 and 2001 and ranking among the nation's best teams most years. But Texas is just 6-11 in the Big 12 over the last two seasons, a record offensive lineman Mason Walters said is "not the kind of football I want to be associated with." A trip to Oklahoma State is a tough place to turn things around. Th Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:00:33 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_oklahoma_st_preview/11805505 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_oklahoma_st_preview/11805505 Texas-Oklahoma St. Preview http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/texas_oklahoma_st_preview/11805505 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png 1. Chance Warmack, Alabama Grade-1st Round 2. Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech Grade-2nd Round 3. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina Grade-2nd Round 4. Travis Fredrick, Wisconsin Grade-2nd Round 5. Alvin Bailey, Arkansas Grade-2nd Round 6. Josh Wiliford, LSU Grade-3rd Round 7. Larry Warford, Kentucky Grade-3rd Round 8. Blaize Folts, TCU  Grade-3rd Round 9. Lane Taylor, Oklahoma State Grade-4th Round 10. Braden Hansen, BYU Grade-4th Round 11. Travis Bond, North Carolina Grade-4th Round 12. Mason Walters, Texas Grade-5th Round 13. Chris Jacobson, Pitt Grade-5th Round 14. Carson York, Oregon Grade-5th Round Sat, 21 Jul 2012 18:14:57 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/2013_nfl_draft_expanded_positional_rankings_offensive_guards_updated_07212012/11269414 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/2013_nfl_draft_expanded_positional_rankings_offensive_guards_updated_07212012/11269414 2013 NFL Draft Expanded Positional Rankings-Offensive Guards (Updated 07/21/2012) http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/2013_nfl_draft_expanded_positional_rankings_offensive_guards_updated_07212012/11269414 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Uviversity of Texas junior offensive lineman Mason “Big Country” Walters has been named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, released today by the Football Writer’s Association of America.  The Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the nation’s best interior lineman on both sides of the ball.  Walters, a 2011 second team All Big 12 member, has started all 25 [...] Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:52:35 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/offensive_lineman_mason_walters_added_to_2012_outland_trophy_watch_list/11204818 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/offensive_lineman_mason_walters_added_to_2012_outland_trophy_watch_list/11204818 Offensive Lineman Mason Walters Added to 2012 Outland Trophy Watch List http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/offensive_lineman_mason_walters_added_to_2012_outland_trophy_watch_list/11204818 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png When the Longhorns adopted a "brick-by-brick" approach to rebuilding their football program, they had to have known it would be a multiyear process. Even Mack Brown admitted that he was more interested in the process of improvement than in results. Although it's numbers like wins and losses that determine the job security of a head coach and the perception of his team, Brown knew that it would take more than just one season to restore Texas' football program to national prominence and title contention once again.  Because, for once, Texas is rebuilding - through reloading.  It hasn't been a secret that many of the Longhorns' premier players have been underclassmen. Texas has a freshman and sophomore fighting over the starting quarterback spot and two true freshmen showing considerable promise at running back. Jaxon Shipley, another rookie, proved to be the Longhorns' best receiver. Two freshman and two sophomores start on the Texas offensive line. A... Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:07:45 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_can_be_scary_good_next_year/8882632 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_can_be_scary_good_next_year/8882632 Texas Can Be Scary Good Next Year http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/texas_can_be_scary_good_next_year/8882632 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png When the Longhorns adopted a "brick-by-brick" approach to rebuilding their football program, they had to have known it would be a multiyear process. Even Mack Brown admitted that he was more interested in the process of improvement than in results. Although it's numbers like wins and losses that determine the job security of a head coach and the perception of his team, Brown knew that it would take more than just one season to restore Texas' football program to national prominence and title contention once again.  Because, for once, Texas is rebuilding - through reloading.  It hasn't been a secret that many of the Longhorns' premier players have been underclassmen. Texas has a freshman and sophomore fighting over the starting quarterback spot and two true freshmen showing considerable promise at running back. Jaxon Shipley, another rookie, proved to be the Longhorns' best receiver. Two freshman and two sophomores start on the Texas offensive line. All but one of the r Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:07:45 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_can_be_scary_good_next_year/8882587 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/texas_can_be_scary_good_next_year/8882587 Texas Can Be Scary Good Next Year http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/texas_can_be_scary_good_next_year/8882587 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The brick-by-brick approach that Texas used this season paid off to a certain extent. The Longhorns posted a 7-5 record, an improvement from last year’s 5-7 abomination but a mark that proves that Mack Brown and Co. have a ways to go before Texas becomes a conference or national title contender again. But with another top-notch recruiting class coming in - one that’s currently ranked No. 1 - and the fact that underclassmen accounted for many of the Longhorns’ biggest contributors this past season, the future looks bright for the Longhorns. Here’s a look at what their depth chart on offense might look in 2012:   Quarterback: 1st string – Case McCoy, 2nd string – David Ash, Others – Connor Brewer, Jalen Overstreet The position behind center was unquestionably the most turbulent in 2011. Incumbent junior Garrett Gilbert beat out three others during fall camp for the starting spot before being ousted by sophomore Case McCoy in Texas' second game against BYU. While Gilbert was g... Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:45:05 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/looking_ahead_to_2012_offense/8722570 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/looking_ahead_to_2012_offense/8722570 Looking Ahead to 2012 (Offense) http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/looking_ahead_to_2012_offense/8722570 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png WTH?! (What the Heck?) moments are attempts to find the memorable and the off-beat perspective on Longhorns sports. Here are some interesting moments from the Texas’ game against the Aggies. Pre-Game WTH 118 years?! I agree that egos have caused this rivalry to end. The Aggies says “It’s time for Texas A&M”… to slug it out with the SEC. The Horns have their path to blaze (LHN). Divorce is tough. Let’s reunite for the kids’ sake. 1st Quarter (7:26) WTH Tucker?! The 31 yard punt by Justin Tucker was making every Longhorn fan pull out their hair. The only good outcome was that most of his punts were never returned. He definitely made up for his punting woes at the end. 2nd Quarter (12:13) WTH Refs 1?! Keenan Robinson was called for roughing the passer when the QB Ryan Tannehill landed on him? Keenan must have pissed off the entire officiating crew because he also got called for a horse collar penalty in the third quarter when he clearly just had the jersey. 2nd Quarter ... Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:57:59 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/wth_moments_texas_vs_texas_a_m/8733931 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/wth_moments_texas_vs_texas_a_m/8733931 WTH Moments – Texas vs. Texas A&M http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/wth_moments_texas_vs_texas_a_m/8733931 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png