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Via TexasSports.com - http://www.texassports.com/news/2014/9/24/FB_0924140659.aspx ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Longhorn Nation, Being the quarterback at The University of Texas has been a huge blessing and one of the biggest reasons is our fans. Throughout my career, you have been awesome in the good times and the tough times. I've recently fallen on some harder times and am just so grateful that you have continued to support me. I can't thank you enough. The words of encouragement in tweets and messages, and the prayers -- just know that they really matter. I am really appreciative of how y'all have treated me, as well as the opportunity to be a part of this great football program. Growing up, I wasn't necessarily a Longhorn. My parents didn't go to school here so we didn't have any connection to The University of Texas. Now that I have been welcomed into the family, it's a part of who I am, a part of my identity. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a huge blessing to be a part of the Longhorn family. I'll always be a supporter of The University of Texas. The alumni and the people that make up the Longhorn family are going to be huge for me in the future. As I get older, I can pass along that special feeling of being a Longhorn. So a big 'Thank You' to all of Longhorn Nation! Hook 'em! David Ash

As most of you know we are affiliated with USA Today Sports and they send us content sometimes to share with our readers/members. The following video is one of those pieces of content we wanted to share. We are less than two weeks away from the start of the season, and Campus Insiders' Shae Peppler sits down with Dave Miller to discuss what's going on around college football, including who will be the starting quarterback for Texas and who is replacing Braxton Miller at Ohio State.

I recently did some research into the "Jones Bone" fracture that David Ash is currently recovering from. For my fellow HornSports members with a Bachelor of Science, the Jones Bone fracture is a proximal junctional metaphyseal/diaphyseal fracture of the fifth metatarsal. Essentially it's a break in the very base of your pinky toe. While "a break in the very base of your pinky toe" may not sound so bad here's an image of the screw placement involved with a Jones Bones surgery.

Well folks, not much going on this week however we will share with you everything we’re hearing and pass it along. First of all, these are incredibly exciting times at Hornsports right now and our incredible growth is allowing us to do things that a few months ago may have seemed like a “pipe dream” when we were starting out. Consequently, in this week’s Crossfire we will talk about what Hornsports is doing to improve upon our service offering to our faithful fans. We will also be discussing our recent commitments. What do they mean to the program? Next we will discuss our former coaches that are on the move. Manny Diaz to La Tech? From there we will discuss medical hardships (anybody out there remember Jordan Hicks or David Ash?). Well, we’ll discuss how things are coming along for those two key Longhorns for ’14. We will also discuss Spring Practice, the Spring Game, and how team works outs are going so far. During the “Drop & Gimme 20”, Hornsports will address the burning questions that you the Hornsports faithful have put forth. And finally we will have a discussion with our old buddy “Friend of Bevo” and where his thoughts are this week (albeit brief!). So strap-up your chin strap and get into the “Crossfire!” UPDATE ON HORNSPORTS NEWS & SPRING GAME NOTES As it pertains to Hornsports, we are presently interviewing potential staff writers, recruiting scouts, baseball scouts, and reporters. It is our number one priority to continue to improve the content we deliver on HornSports. We have some exciting potential opportunities for radio and television shows in 2014. More details to come in upcoming weeks. On a different front I have been asked many times, “Darrell, how about a HornSports Spring Game Tailgate Party to get us prepped for the regular season?” Your wish is our command here at HornSports. Once the spring game is scheduled, we will plan the first 2014 Tailgate party. As it looks right now, we will have some very exciting events taking place for the Tailgate party. Stay tuned. UPDATE ON RECRUITING FRONT New Orleans Four Star 6’5 300 plus pound offensive guard Alex Anderson became the second blue-chipper to pledge to the Charlie Strong staff. The first commit to Strong being Arlington hybrid safety/linebacker Ed Freeman. FORMER UT COACHES ON THE MOVE There are reports out that have linked Duane Akina to Sonny Dykes’ California staff and Stacy Searles to Frank Beamers’ Virginia Tech staff. Daryl Wyatt's name has been mentioned concerning the Sam Houston State head coaching vacancy, although I have heard the current DC at Sam Houston is the leading candidate for the job. Bo Davis has accepted the DL position coach under Nick Saban at Alabama. Manny Diaz has accepted the DC position on Skip Holtz’s staff at Louisiana Tech. Oscar Giles is talking to Sonny Dykes at Cal, Mark Richt at Georgia, and one other school that I am not privy to at this time. I will keep digging around to find out who that 3rd school is and I am sure we will hear something on this front soon. MEDICAL HARDSHIPS It appears that Linebacker Jordan Hicks and Quarterback David Ash will be approved for medical hardships. If Ash regains his health & form, this would be huge benefit to the team. HORNSPORTS Q & A Q) How long is it going to be before Ronald Jones II gets an offer? He's going to blow up next year. A) The staff has been on the job for one full week now. They have a lot of ground work to make up closing this year’s class. You can expect the staff to address the 2015 class right after spring ball is completed. With the retention of Chambers and Shipley, I’m certain Strong & staff will be brought up to spend on the top targets. RJ II should be one of them. Q) What's the biggest name recruit we'll get who is not already verbaled to this class? A) I’m going to go with the Four Star DT from Hilton Head, South Carolina Poona Ford. Q) Any idea on who matriculates from the program either by choice or by force? A) Right now I don’t feel comfortable sharing any names. For the first time, some of the kids feel like they have a true opportunity for showcasing their skills regardless of their age. It is only natural for a certain amount of attrition during a coaching transition occurs. I would look at 5-10 current players to transfer or quit football all together. Q) KNOX do we have a 90% chance to get him back. We need him and how about Harvey? A) 90% is dreaming. Let’s see if a visit is scheduled before we get excited. Q) mcphaul, are you noting any forthcoming changes as per our coaching staff allotment? obviously nothing major. nonetheless, subtle changes in staff personnel? A) There are rumors that TE Coach Bruce Chambers might move into to a administration position. Q) Signing day surprises? Do we get any? A) The class is shaping up to have a few surprises. I hope they are all positive. Q) Any chance that Brewster finds a place on this staff? A) I believe there is a chance. Let’s see what direction Strong goes with Bruce Chambers first. Q) Which head 2 head battles with Sumlin does Coach Strong win this year & next? A) I’m not sure he does? Cypress Falls blue chip LB Olaka is the biggest battle raging between the two schools and this one might come down to signing day. If Strong could flip blue chip defensive back Nick Harvey, that would be considered a huge victory. Q) Where does Texas stand with Jarrett Stidham? A) Top 5. That is good considering he has not met the new staff. Q) Tony3487 asked if Charlie strong bought Sabans house? Sorry couldn't resist A) Everyone deserves a day in the sun! Q) Has Barnes saved his job or is that TBD? A) The season is far from over. Defiantly TBD. Q) Do you know if they were after anyone else? If so, who? If not, then why drag out the announcement like that? A) I’m not sure. One reason for this to drag out is if the coaching candidate agreed to stay on with his current employer until after signing day. Q) I am wondering about the committee that was assembled to help hire Patterson then was supposed to be involved in hiring Coach Strong was a committee in name only? Will there be a permanent advisory committee moving forward, available to convene and give input to the AD on highly important matters and to handle any major crisis, or did Patterson's lack of consulting with the committee on the hiring of Coach Strong effectively kill it off? A) Apparently so. It does not appear that Patterson believes he needs a consulting committee. I believe Patterson is trying to wean the BMD’s off of being heavily involved. Q) Will our emphasis be on flipping players that are signed elsewhere or will we be going more for unsigned and/or undervalued players? A) Both Q) Who do you see taking over for Anthony Fera at P/PK? It appears that Nick Jordan redshirted this season, Nick Rose will be a Junior, and Will Russ is still around. Any news on walk-ons or transfers in that area? A) I look for a battle between Rose and Jordan. Russ will get the first shot at punter. There is a kicker at Boerne High School that actually outkicked the North Carolina kicker that we offered at the Texas camp by the name of Clayton Hatfield. Hatfield is now committed to Texas Tech. Claytons father attended Texas and the Hatfield were not too happy about not receiving the offer over an OOS kid that ended up de-committing. Q) Is there any news on Jake Raulerson's expected role next year. A) Right now Jake is penciled in as the backup Center. With Wickline’s background of mixing and matching multiple units, I wouldn’t doubt that Jake will get a look at Guard too. Jake is tipping the scales at 289 right now. Jake may need another year to be a legitimate Div 1 offensive lineman. Q) Can you share anything compelling about conference affiliation in the next few years? The Big 12 sucks! A) In my opinion Texas will leave the NCAA before it leaves the B12 conference. The playoff system will alleviate some of our disdain for being a B12 member. Texas has scheduled some very intriguing match ups with national contenders for next 6 years. UCLA, Ohio State and Notre Dame are just a few to mention. Q) Myles Turner, how are things going with his recruitment? Anything new on that end? A) Shaunsters is reporting that Texas is in the thick of things with Turner. It appears to be a Texas vs. Kansas battle at this time. Q) With somewhat of resurgence by the basketball team, has Barnes' leash gotten longer any? Odds of landing Myles Turner? A) To early to tell. As of right now, we are 50/50 with Turner. BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH FRIEND OF BEVO THIS WEEK McPhaul: Like always, thanks for taking my call. FOB: It’s no problem. McPhaul: So, anything noteworthy happening on the forty that I can share with our members? FOB: I did have an opportunity to speak with a few folks this past week. The new staff seems to be settling in well. The staff is very pleased on how the kids/team has responded so far. McPhaul: Have you heard if the staff has experienced any kickback from the players about having to move back to campus? FOB: No, I really haven’t. I think kids are taking a wait and see approach. I know some of the kids counted on the extra money if they saved on the living per diem by living off campus so. McPhaul: You hearing anything about the workouts? FOB: They are getting after it. The players know that short cuts won’t be tolerated. They are also aware that there will be no favorites played. Everyone has a clean slate and considered on the same level. McPhaul: Anyone standing out in the workouts? FOB: Not that I heard but the staff is pleased with the overall effort. McPhaul: Switching gears on you there has been talk about Coach Chambers transitioning over to the administrative side- is there any merit to that? FOB: There is no doubt that Bruce was retained with the intention of maintaining some level of continuity between the staff, high school coaches and recruits. Bruce is serving that purpose well however I’m not sure if they have their minds made up just yet on what direction they are going to go. McPhaul: Prior to our call, I know you had mentioned to me that there wasn’t much to comment on this week. Is there anything else we should know? FOB: Nope. That’s all I got for now but keep in mind, things will be heating up. McPhaul: Understood. Holler back at you next week. FOB: You got it. VAYA CON DIOS AMIGOS! Guys, that’s all I got for now. As always, if we hear something we will put it out there for you the fans. Again, just like at the 40 Acres there are fun times ahead at HornSports as well. We want to thank you our followers for our continued success- I cannot wait to see what ’14 brings us! Hook ‘Em and talk to you next week! Darrell

Today Ash was named to the Manning Award watch list, which I'm not sure how it's different from the Davey O'Brien Award.... 30 qb's were named to the list. Manziel won it last year. VY won it in 2006. The List: [TABLE] [TR=class: odd header] [TD]PLAYER[/TD] [TD]CLASS[/TD] [TD]SCHOOL[/TD] [TD]QBR[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Johnny Manziel[/TD] [TD]So.[/TD] [TD]Texas A&M[/TD] [TD]90.5[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Marcus Mariota[/TD] [TD]So.[/TD] [TD]Oregon[/TD] [TD]87.3[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Tajh Boyd[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Clemson[/TD] [TD]82.2[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]AJ McCarron[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Alabama[/TD] [TD]81.1[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]David Fales[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]San Jose State[/TD] [TD]78.4[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Aaron Murray[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Georgia[/TD] [TD]78.4[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Teddy Bridgewater[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Louisville[/TD] [TD]78.1[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]David Ash[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Texas[/TD] [TD]77.2[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Terrance Broadway[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Louisiana-Lafayette[/TD] [TD]76.9[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Chuckie Keeton[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Utah State[/TD] [TD]76.4[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Cody Fajardo[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Nevada[/TD] [TD]75.6[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Jordan Lynch[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Northern Illinois[/TD] [TD]74.7[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Brett Smith[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Wyoming[/TD] [TD]74.6[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Blake Bortles[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Central Florida[/TD] [TD]72.9[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Taylor Martinez[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Nebraska[/TD] [TD]70.4[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Joe Southwick[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Boise State[/TD] [TD]68.9[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Rakeem Cato[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Marshall[/TD] [TD]68.8[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Brett Hundley[/TD] [TD]So.[/TD] [TD]UCLA[/TD] [TD]68.8[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Kolton Browning[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Louisiana-Monroe[/TD] [TD]68.6[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Braxton Miller[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Ohio State[/TD] [TD]68.4[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Taylor Kelly[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Arizona State[/TD] [TD]65.7[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Kain Colter[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Northwestern[/TD] [TD]65.3[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Connor Shaw[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]South Carolina[/TD] [TD]64.6[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Derek Carr[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Fresno State[/TD] [TD]64.1[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Bryn Renner[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]North Carolina[/TD] [TD]63.6[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Sean Mannion[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Oregon State[/TD] [TD]62.5[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Eric Soza[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Texas-San Antonio[/TD] [TD]62.3[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Logan Kilgore[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Middle Tennessee State[/TD] [TD]60.3[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: even] [TD]Bo Wallace[/TD] [TD]Jr.[/TD] [TD]Ole Miss[/TD] [TD]60.0[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR=class: odd] [TD]Stephen Morris[/TD] [TD]Sr.[/TD] [TD]Miami[/TD] [TD]59.6[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Ash has already been named to the Davey O'Brien watch list and the Maxwell Award watch list.

SoonerNation.com write Jake Trotter writes that he would rather "roll into the Cotton Bowl with the unknown of Bell versus the known of Texas quarterback David Ash," in a recent piece he an HornsNation's William Wilkerson squared off in (College Football Hot Button Topic of the week - College Football - ESPN). I find it ridiculous, just as everyone else that isn't an OU fan does, that a guy that has played the Tebow role in package plays is supposedly a better qb than David Ash. Hell, even the Heisman Pundit asks the question (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fheismanpundit.com%2F2013%2F05%2F01%2Fis-blake-bell-the-top-heisman-dark-horse%2F&ei=TEbsUeaSJ5LkqAHgqYHIAw&usg=AFQjCNGz5YwlxmNJhxoZKaa8c0FtygcdhQ&sig2=4bU6v6hGfjkiAHetfC1_qQ&bvm=bv.49478099,d.aWM) "Is Blake Bell the top Heisman Dark Horse?" In all seriousness folks, I would roll with Ash over Bell. The proof is in the pudding. Ash career stats: 3,778 passing yards, 23 td's and 16 picks. Ash has 3 rushing td's. Bell career stats: 115 passing yards, 0 td's and 1 pick. Bell has 24 rushing td's. Bell's rushing yardage was not Vince Young-esque, where he consistently gobbled up turf. He averaged around 3.5 yards per and ran most of it out of the wildcat. Career-wise he has only run for 372 yards and he hasn't proven himself to be a guy that can lead you to a quick come from behind victory with his arm.... David Ash has 244 career rushing yards. I respect Bell's rushing accomplishments but unless you are a true mobile quarterback with some serious skills, I'll take David Ash over Blake Bell any day.

From the second last season was over, the questions arose and the expectations were set. In order for the Longhorns to improve upon last season, and the past three seasons, a 10 wins, including a win over Oklahoma, were the expectations for the Texas football program and still are. And in order to reach these expectations, the question marks lie with David Ash, the defense, and the offensive line. But since that first second after the bowl game, I've seen many, many articles stating what the Longhorns must do, how it's now time for "so and so" to step up, that it's now or never for the Longhorns to rally together, etc. All of those articles are nice to read, often optimistic, and can usually get most Longhorn fans excited for the up-coming season. But what if the Longhorns don't meet expectations? What if David Ash has the same ups and downs we saw last season? What if the defense stills struggles to stop the run, and the secondary continues to miss tackles? And what if the offensive line still struggles to become the dominant force we are hoping they can be? Could we be looking at another 4 loss season? Luckily for the Longhorns, their schedule appears to be one of the easier ones around. The Big 12 is in a bit of a down year due to many turnovers on rosters, specifically at the QB position. But with that said, there are 3 games that stand out to me as potential losses and 4 additional teams that are wild cards. Oklahoma, TCU, and Oklahoma State are the three games that stand out as potential losses. Oklahoma: Sure OU may not be as strong as they were last season, but until David Ash and Texas beat the Sooners you can't write them off. Plus, this game is a rivalry game, it can never be written off. TCU: The Horned Frogs are in an interesting situation at quarterback with Casey Pachall returning to the roster. If he ends up winning the job over Trevon Boykin, TCU's passing game would be elevated from last season. And on top of that, you know a Gary Patterson led football team always plays tough. Oklahoma State: Plug whoever you want in at quarterback, the Cowboys seem to have a handful of QB's that can get the job done in Gundy's offense. The Longhorns got the best of them last season, but it was a close game. You better believe OSU will be fired up to come to Austin to try to take down the Longhorns again. Other than those three teams, I'd say Baylor, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, and BYU are all wild cards. Each have potential of some sort to perform better than expected. And if the Longhorns have a performance where the defense can't seem to slow down the opposing offense and consistency lacks from Ash and the offensive line, the Longhorns could find themselves in another depressing situation. Personally, I see the Longhorns having 10 win season. Or I may just be hoping it all comes together on both sides of the ball... But the Longhorns do have a relatively easy schedule and a lot of returning players compared to most teams. The expectations are a 10-win season and a win over Oklahoma. But the questions still remain and can only be answered during the season. Is it football season yet? Hook'em

Spring Game goes down at 6:30 pm. Game will be televised on the Longhorn Network. Excited to see what Ash does as well as the 2nd & 3rd team qb's. Hopefully Manny has made us proud with improvements on defense. Talk about it here. Hook 'em!

AB breaks down the expectations for David Ash heading into the Spring Game and beyond. What's your take on the Ash man? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc08t4XaiPM&list=UU4X5bqBTv7wmJ1Trd6_kzig

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKf1GFHts2o

I will pose the question.... Does Ash have the drive, the skill and the leadership to take the Longhorns to the National Championship game? This year or next? Is he a guy that has "it?" My two cents - Ash has what it takes to lead us to a conference championship but not the big enchilada. I see a successful season ahead this year and next (10 wins each season) but no NC in our future with him.

Spring ball is here and David Ash is the #1 guy for the Longhorns at the position without question. A lot of chatter about the second string battle going on with reports that Connor Brewer slowly making a case for the #2 spot. Brewer reportedly took 2nd team snaps last week as did McCoy but McCoy is still the #2 qb according to most, but my question is this: How satisfied will Texas fans be if the QB depth chart remains Ash # 1 and McCoy #2? I would have to think Overstreet and Brewer would get playing time or we definitely lose one or both to transfer. Not sure what the thought is on Overstreet. I thought the guy would most definitely get a shot at playing backup to Ash. Lot of spring ball left so no time to panic but I would much rather see someone other than McCoy at #2. Where's this guy????

Spring Practice began today for the Horns and from all accounts it was a successful practice. David Ash is the clear-cut starting quarterback for this team and he knows it. No more worrying about looking over your shoulder every week - it's his job. Texas is refining the up-tempo, spread offense which Ash will lead. Mack mentioned the need for the tailbacks to stay healthy this year - Damn straight! It is only the first day but Ash looked quick and confident. He threw nice and crisp today and Mack wants him to be the defined leader of this team this season. The expectations for Ash are extremely high this year. Hopefully Ash turns the corner and leads us to great things.

Before the Bowl game I was actually thinking the likely hood of a QB competition was higher than there not being one. I guess this thinking came from seeing an abysmal last two weeks of football from the Texas QB positon in the regular season, and also thinking back to the OU and Kansas game. I'll be honest, this answer of what will happen during the off-season at the position may have been clear to some, but for me it's been a ping pong ball getting hit back and forth in my head. And there are a few reason's why I have been so wishy washy with this thinking. But right now, if you were to ask me what happens in the off-season at the QB position then I would respond with "how could Mack Brown not roll with David Ash as his starter?" I'm trying to answer that question with what Mack will do. And he's going to roll with David Ash as his starting QB next season, as he has multiple reasons to. The only thing that confuses me now is his offering of the Juco QB Nick Marshall. But let's break this down and I'll show you what I'm getting at. Will there be a true QB competition? No. In Mack's eyes there's no reason to. Ash has shown he can have success in this offense. He had multiple games this season where he performed well. And this was Ash's first year as the full-time starter. He did this as a sophomore. Did he have some bad games? Of course he did. The OU game and Kansas game were both terrible performances by him. But in Mack's eyes, he is a sophomore who is still growing and learning. Where he showed his strength was coming back the next week after the OU game and performing well against Baylor. Mack likes that. Ash showed he can shake off a bad game and bounce back with a good one. But before the bowl game Ash had never really shown he could pick himself during a game. That all changed at the Alamo Bowl when he came out in the second half and fought to the end of the game to win it. Now, was Oregon State's QB really doing anything to help the Beavers' cause in the second half. No. But that's a combination of Vaz playing poorly AND the UT defense attacking him all night. Regardless, Ash still had a hole to lead his team out of and he did. I say all of this because Mack will look at Ash's body of work and will roll with him as the starter. He has a great argument for why he should. Don't get me wrong, Ash's inconsistent play will not get it done next season. But right now that will be attributed to his youth, the fact that he had Case McCoy looking over his shoulder waiting for him to slip up, and that Ash and Harsin didn't really click. Now with Major running the show I really think he will connect with Ash in a way Harsin never would have. Does Ash still mess with my brain and scare me with inconsistency? Yes. What makes him hard for me to read is his personality and up and down confidence. But the guy was a sophomore, showed he can make the throws and have success in this offense, and led a come from behind victory in a bowl game. I can't see any way Mack doesn't roll with him as the starter, especially in a season where Mack thinks this is "the year". Can you really see coach Brown handing over the keys to a red-shirt freshman, true freshman (possibly Swoopes, though I think he red-shirts), or a juco-transfer (if Marshall commits) in his first year at Texas? I can't. And Ash has done enough for coach Brown to stick with him and continue letting him develop as the starting QB. Let's look at the options behind Ash... Case McCoy - one way or another I think Case's time at QB at Texas are done. He may still be on the roster but I doubt we see much of him even if he is. I guess he possibly could still be a back-up. But before any thoughts can really be given we must see how his legal situation plays out. Connor Brewer - out of all the QB's that will be on the roster in the spring I think Brewer is the most likely candidate to transfer. Brewer was recruited by Harsin. He was originally recruited to Boise State. But when Harsin came to Texas he brought Brewer along. Well now Harsin is gone. And if you're Brewer you could be looking at your own position in the program like this: The one coordinator who recruited you strongly is gone. Though you have 4 years of eligibility left, you are staring at a QB (Ash) who potentially could play 2 more seasons. So you wouldn't have a shot to play until you were a red-shirt junior. But even then you look to your side and standing next to you is Jalen Overstreet, who also has the same years of eligibility left that you do. Add that to Swoopes coming to town. And the potential commitment of Nick Marshall, who will could be at Texas for 3 years (if he is red-shirted he has 3 years). If I'm Brewer and I'm looking around and I really want some serious playing time, then I'm thinking about transferring. Unless I know I have the clear advantage over the competition and am willing to sit possibily two more seasons to have my shot at playing after that. But I don't see Brewer doing that unless he really loves UT. (Love for him to stay, but this is the scenario he could face). In the end, I think Brewer is currently the most likely to transfer. Jalen Overstreet - This player is still very much an unknown. I know many fans are clamoring for him to get action hoping he is the next RGIII. But all anyone really knows is he's a great athlete. But I've yet to see him get on the field and throw the ball. I have no idea how he handles the offense, how he reads defenses, and how his passes look. So at this point I don't really know what Texas has in Overstreet. Could he transfer? Sure. But right now I think he stays in the program and continues to develop. Tyrone Swoopes - Thought by some to be the next coming of Vince Young, Swoopes is a different player than Vince was coming out of high school. Swoopes comes from a much smaller school than where VY came from and didn't have as much of the success that VY had (though Swoopes has done well). Unless he comes into the spring and blows the coaches away, I think Swoopes red-shirts, like VY did. *Nick Marshall - Marshall has yet to commit to Texas and he has other offers he is also considering. But the Marshall offer got my attention because I wasn't expecting it after Harsin had quit recruiting the Juco QB's, and left the program. Nick Marshall is a very interesting prospect. Once a defensive back at Georgia, Marshall was dismissed by the school and has since been playing QB at Garden City Junior College. (More of his story here: Nick Marshall: Dismissed UGA player revitalizes football career … at QB | AJC College Sports Recruiting) Though he still needs some work, Marshall has the potential to be great, and that's the main reason why Texas is still after him. He will be recruited as a QB and will practice as a QB if he chooses Texas. I could see him getting a red-shirt if he comes, unless he arrives on campus and also blows away the coaches with what he can do. Currently Texas has the potential to have 6 QB's on roster David Ash Case McCoy Connor Brewer Jalen Overstreet Tyrone Swoopes *Nick Marshall But when you start to try to figure out how it all may shake out you see that not all of the QB's will likely be eligible to play during games in the fall. Active on Roster Ash - (likely starter) Overstreet - (have yet to see what Texas has in him, I think he stays with the program) Transfer Brewer - (IMO, most likely to transfer) Red-Shirt/Inactive on Roster Swoopes - (red-shirts FR year) Question Marks McCoy - (possibly a reserve, likely not in the picture one way or another either by transfer, kicked off team, demotion) *Marshall - has yet to commit. If he does commit, I could see him being active on the roster or taking a red-shirt. That depends on how he looks if/when he gets to campus and starts practicing. All of this is just one scenario that could possibly happen. None of this is currently fact, rather an attempt to understand what Mack may be thinking about the QB position for 2013. Either way, I think right now David Ash is the Longhorns' starting QB in 2013. It's silly not to think that, unless one of the other QB's dominates in the spring. I do not see a QB competition, unless Ash begins to struggle in the off-season. I know some of you may be cool with this, and some may be weary about it, but right now I believe the job is David Ash's to lose.

Texas won the Alamo Bowl in dramatic fashion last night behind David Ash and (what appears to be) an improved defensive unit. We lose some guys but looking forward to next season, where does the team stand in terms of expectations/capacity? Can the 2013 Longhorns compete for a conference championship or even more? We improved from last year to this year. 9 wins ain't all that bad - but it ain't glorious either. We know Mack is back and I think it is safe to assume Manny is too.

The score was very close to what many people were predicting but I’m sure this game was played out unlike many had predicted. After and abysmal first half, the Longhorn offense woke up as David Ash rallied the group to a late score on a touchdown pass to a streaking Marquis Goodwin. Though it was ugly in the beginning, this win was important for the Longhorns in order to show improvement from last season and enter the off-season on a positive note. 1. David Ash says “What QB Competition?”: This quarterback has been a guy that has been a roller coaster to watch all season long. He messes with my brain and I don’t like it. Ash has physical tools that allow him to have success at the college level. But the knock on Ash is his inconsistent mentality and confidence. When it’s there, he plays well: Good enough to lead an offense and make plays. But when his mentality and confidence are off then he is way off and plays very poorly. One big positive tonight was how David Ash rallied his team to victory over the Beavers. Tonight he showed that he has the ability to bounce back from a poor performance early in a game. But tonight was also the first time he wasn't benched in favor of Case McCoy. I’ll be very interested to see if Major can connect with Ash and get him rolling in a way Harsin couldn’t. Before tonight’s performance I was confident in saying the Longhorns should have another QB competition to find the guy who can lead the team, complete the passes, and make the plays necessary at the QB position. But now I’m hesitant in saying that. Sure it’s 1 game, but the fact that Ash was able to pick himself up after a poor first half and lead his team late in the game is a big step for the young quarterback. We should also remind ourselves that Ash was just a sophomore in his first year as the full time starter. Of course there would be growing pains for a young QB. Aside from Ash, I also wonder what Mack will want to do. He has been clamoring that this next season is the season his Longhorns will finally have the success they should be having. So with that in mind, will Mack actually risk putting the offense and team in the hands of a new starter? Especially after that starter just won him a bowl game in a come-from-behind victory? Had Ash played poorly tonight I would have thought there was no doubt that there would be a QB competition, but now I’m not so sure. With all of that said, I still think the Longhorns should have another QB competition and at least see what the other guys bring to the table because I think back to the games which Ash struggled in, like against OU, and cringe. I also look around the nation and see young quarterbacks having more success than what Ash has done. But David Ash definitely has the advantage over the other quarterbacks right now, there’s no question about that. 2. Major Applewhite: In his first game calling plays for the Longhorns Major won in Major fashion. He got snubbed early on in the game by the Beavers defense but he didn’t quit and came back and called some great plays in order for his offense to rally and win the game in the end. Whether he had come away with a good game or not, this game should not really be used as an assessment of Applewhite’s offense at all. I liked what I saw in the second half but he will need the entire off-season to really put his influence into the offense and mold it the way he wants it to look like. I’m definitely glad he got the win and am really curious to see if he can connect with Ash in a way Harsin couldn’t. Who knows, maybe Major’s personality is exactly what Ash needs from an offensive coordinator. 3. Marquis Goodwin: I have asked this question hundreds of times this season and not found an answer. Why was Goodwin not a larger part of the offense? (D.J. Monroe and Daje Johnson as well). Tonight Goodwin, the Alamo Bowl Offensive Player of the Game, showcased his skills by scoring a 64-yard touchdown and also had 4 receptions for 68 yards and a game-winning touchdown catch. I cannot figure out why Harsin/Mack did not utilize Goodwin more during the season, but Major figured it out in 1 game and unleashed the Olympian on the Beavers. This is another case of Texas confusing me by not using a player more than I would think they should. Hopefully Major will carry this change into next fall and use Daje Johnson in more ways where Harsin failed to. Great game by Goodwin though, and we will also be seeing him on Sunday’s in some fashion. 4. Where was the running game? Maybe the O-line knows: If you would have only told me the rushing stats for both teams tonight I would have thought Texas had lost this game for sure. Marquis Goodwin led the stats in yardage with his 1 64-yard touchdown run. Behind him David Ash was second with 22 yards and a touchdown off of 7 carries. The running backs totaled 37 yards of 19 carries and 0 touchdowns. Joe Bergeron didn’t even punch one in. I blame this performance largely on the poor play of the offensive line. They struggled to open holes all night. It also didn’t help that Texas was playing from behind for much of the game and had to throw the ball a lot in the second half. But a large reason they were playing from behind is because they couldn’t establish the run early on in the game. The offensive line is another area that needs major work this off-season. It’s great to have a handful of talented running backs and playmakers on offense that can move the chains but they become very handicapped without an offensive line that can block for them, let alone get a push off the line. This is another area of the roster that confuses me. Texas should be able to get the biggest and nastiest linemen in the state of Texas each year. There’s no reason why this group should be playing at this low of a level as a unit. 5. Defense got by but still needs improvement: Tonight the defense played well enough for Texas to win, and luckily the Longhorns got the win. But the performance wasn’t spectacular and they still have a lot to improve upon. If I were the defensive coordinator for the Longhorns my priority would be improving the ability of my unit to stop the run. The interior of the defense has been weak against the run all season long and it’s a big reason why the unit has had its struggles. Storm Woods ran for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns tonight. He deserves credit, but it’s not like Oregon State’s QB was really a threat to throw the ball so I’m frustrated Texas STILL could not stop the run. When teams can move the ball on the ground then it opens up their playbook and allows that team to have good control of the game. I think players will need to be shuffled around in the interior and the scheme needs a bit of a change as well. I’d start Malcolm Brown at DT and then have a competition for the DT that would be playing next to Brown. And Santos and Edmond are not the answers at middle linebacker. 6. Alex Okafor: 9 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble… Okafor just locked himself into the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. That performance was icing on the cake of the great season he has had. The Alamo Bowl defensive player of the game has been show casing his pass rushing skills all season long. In one sense I’m disappointed Okafor’s great season has been over shadowed by poor play of the defense as a unit. But you have to love how Okafor brought it each and every week, regardless of how the unit plays as a whole. We will be watching him on Sunday’s. 7. Steve Edmond/Dalton Santos: All season long I’ve been hoping one of these guys would take the next step into becoming more of a presence in the middle of the defense. But all season long neither has. Sophomore Steve Edmond and freshman Dalton Santos have great size and aren’t afraid to tackle anyone. But the problem is both lack the necessary speed and ability to read the plays in order to get to the ball carrier to tackle him. If I’m the defensive coordinator I immediately open the middle linebacker position up for a competition. My first thought would be to possibly move Kendall Thompson to the middle because I love having Tevin Jackson and Peter Jinkens on the field at the same time too. Texas has some other young guys to look at as well. But as of now I don’t think Edmond or Santos should be the starters in the middle. I want someone who can get to the ball carrier faster before he gets up field. 8. Justin Tucker, you’re needed back in Austin: I don’t exactly know why Mack hasn’t done more in recruiting to address this or why he didn’t have a better plan for the ‘Post Justin Tucker Era’ but what Texas currently has at the kicking position is not good. Kickoffs are fine, but if Texas ever has to kick a field goal over 40 yards to win a game then they are screwed. And I also don’t know why Anthony Fera has disappeared as a kicker once he got to Texas. The guy was pretty good for Penn State but he has done next to nothing while at UT. And Nick Jordan makes me nervous every time he attempts a field goal, and he doesn’t have the strongest leg either. Alex King has been killing it all season long punting the ball, but he is a senior so Texas will also need to find a replacement for the golden leg of Alex King. 9. Mack Brown can take a breather: It’s been somewhat easy to tell that this season has been unlike any season Mack has had at Texas. He has shown more stress and frustration than in any season before. But after tonight’s win, Coach Brown can take a breather and relax. He did a great job handling the situation with McCoy and Hicks earlier in the week and didn’t let that distract his team. I liked the energy from the team all night and Mack did a great job regrouping his team at half time and leading them in the second half as they rallied for their 9th win of the season. Sure the team isn’t back where Mack wants them, but I’m glad he got his bowl win. 10. Resilience: What happened tonight is something that had seemingly disappeared from the Longhorn football team for the past few years. Tonight the team was faced with a challenge in the second half and rallied together to succeed and win the game. I’m sure many fans thought Texas would eventually turn belly up and stall out in the second half to lose the game, but the Longhorns had something else in mind and fought to the very end to win the game. It was great to see and definitely a positive to build on going into the off-season. Wow, what a season it has been. Before the first game was played there were all kinds of speculation as to what type of year the Longhorns would have. Some of the expected scenarios happened, like the roller coaster ride at QB. And some unexpected scenarios happened, like the underachieving play by the defense. In the end the team did end up improving on their play from the previous year by finishing the season with 9 wins, 1 better than last year’s total. But this group still has many steps to make in order to bet back to being national contenders. There are a lot of question marks all over the roster. And as usual it will be fun sifting through the roster and learning about the new recruits to see how everything falls into place in time for kickoff next fall. Though I think I experienced every emotion possible with this Texas team, it’s what makes sports unique and fun, and I’m still proud to be a Longhorn and a fan of Texas. Hook’em Twitter: @WesKCrochet

In Mack's Alamobowl presser today he named David Ash the starter. Surprised? NOPE.

10 Thoughts From The Texas vs. Ole Miss Game Score: Texas 66, Ole Miss 31 Who would have thought that the Longhorns were capable of scoring 66 points in any game this season? The score could have been even higher but to show respect the classy Mack Brown decided to pump the breaks towards the end of the game so the score didn’t break the 70-point mark. But regardless of the score there are a lot of positives and negatives that came from this game. The win was a big one but some of the stats skew the reality of how the game went and how certain players (Ash) played. 1. David Ash: I’m sure we are all thinking the same thing on this one. Go ahead and give Ash credit (keep reading) because he has yet to throw an interception and still managed the game well, (stick with me…) as he was 19 of 23 for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns (almost there) but WOW a lot of his deep passes (this>>>) were waaayyyyy under thrown and he should have been picked off 2 or 3 times. He still has a ways to go. Luckily his receivers always adjusted to the ball and somehow the defensive backs always seemed to get lost right before the ball made it to them. But his stats skew his actual performance and he would have had a much worse night against a secondary who actually could track the ball and defend better. I like that he was slinging it deep and had the confidence to do so, but he has to be better about leading his receivers and his accuracy. I give him a B- on the night… that may be generous. *Give Harsin/Applewhite some credit as Ash currently has the fourth best passer rating in division 1-A college football. He may still need work on his accuracy but his coaches know exactly what they can get out of him at this point. And a random note, the Big 12 has 4 QB’s in the top 5 and 6 in the top 10 in this category.* NCAA Football Stats - Full College Football Team Leaders and Player Stats - FOX Sports on MSN 2. QB Debate: So there it is folks. The Bo Wallace David Ash debate played out right before your eyes. Are you happy the Longhorns stuck with Ash? Or do you still wonder what the offense would look like had Wallace taken over? I’m still rolling with Ash over Wallace. Are you? 3. Defense: The Longhorns defense once again had an up and down night. They were able to create turnovers and even take one to the house. The defensive line also impressed with pressure on Bo Wallace. But at the same time tackling was often poor across the board and the secondary seemed out of place on some passes as they also allowed another receiver to have a big night, as Donte Moncrief had 7 catches for 144 yards and 1 touchdown (almost 2 TD’s before a video review reversed the call). But Quandre Diggs had two interceptions and Steve Edmond’s interception-touchdown was huge as it set the tone for the night and gave Ash and the offense a small cushion to start the game. Also give credit to the two defensive ends. I called them out, specifically Okafor, before the game and stated he needed to step up his play. He did just that by recording two sacks and applying pretty good pressure throughout the game. But the bottom line is this defense still has room for improvement and isn’t the defense we all think this unit is capable of being… As the Longhorns begin their Big 12 play after their bye week they will need to clean up their act if they want to help keep the W’s coming. 4. Ground Game: Malcolm Brown and the ground attack were strong all night. The Longhorns finished with 350 yards and 4 scores off of 54 attempts. Brown led all backs with 128 yards on 21 carries and scored twice. Bergeron added 48 yards on 11 carries but left with an injury (see point 10.) Once again the variety of the running styles the Horns have in their backfield showed why coach Brown wanted to shift his offense to lean more on the running game. I like it. 5. Home Runs: Marquis Goodwin, D.J. Monroe, and to some degree Jaxon Shipley and Daje Johnson are the home run threats for the Longhorns. Goodwin and Monroe both made the most of their carries/passes they got (Goodwin finished with a combined 182 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Monroe finished with 1 touchdown run.) on the night, but why on earth are they not touching the ball more? I feel like in the entirety of Mack’s tenure there are players throughout the years that have never gotten as many touches and they should have. I don’t understand it. Goodwin, Monroe and Shipley need the ball more. Daje too, but he’s a freshman and still is adjusting to the level of play. 6. Offensive Line: The line actually played pretty well. This unit is a work in progress but unlike the rebel’s offensive line they did a decent job of keeping Ash off the ground and provided him time to make his throws. Keep it up O-line. 7. Field Goals: The fact that Mack and his staff took a chance at recruiting Fera to UT and actually got him to come are incredible. Granted, we haven’t seen him kick in a game yet. But anything is better than what Texas currently has for field goals… 8. Blocked Punt: On the note of special teams, again the Longhorns were able get into the backfield and block a punt. Anytime your special teams unit plays this well & this consistently it often displays that your team has great talent and depth, and the Longhorns are finally at that point again where their depth is getting stronger and stronger with each recruiting class after a few down years. 9. 66 points? Huh?: Though it was definitely an up and down game, I was still blown away at how may points Texas was able to score. I honestly was very curious to see if this team could even break the 50-point mark this season. Though it was against a weak SEC opponent, it was still impressive and should give Longhorn fans everywhere some confidence. 10. Injuries: Jordan Hicks (Hip) and Joe Bergeron (Shoulder) left the game at different times and didn’t return due to injuries. Hopefully the injuries aren’t severe and they will be healthy after the bye week. No specific details of the injuries have been released yet. This bye week comes at a great time for Texas. They’re currently undefeated but still can improve everywhere across the board, and these two weeks should bode well for the team before they enter into conference play. There are 2 main points that keep coming back to me, though. The first is the defense and their up and down play. Individually I like the players all over the depth chart on that side of the ball. But collectively they still are making too may simple mistakes, not tackling well enough, and are giving up to many big plays. They are capable of being a stronger unit but will need to play better once they start playing tougher offenses in BIG 12 play. Second, I love how many different scoring threats the offense has. I harp on getting certain guys more touches, but I also realize that the Longhorns can spread the ball around and I love that Texas has the luxury of having about 8 players who have the potential to take it to the house anytime they touch the ball. It’s been years since any Longhorn team has had that. This entire team has the potential to be a 10+ win team but the play needs to be crisper and more consistent all over the field if they want to get there. Currently Texas is in a good spot but there is a lot of football to be played. Hook’em Twitter: @WesKCrochet Email: Wes.Sports@hotmail.com

David Ash was named National Player of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards yesterday. Ash also earned Big 12 offensive player of the week award from the conference. Congrats to Ash.

The day is finally here, Time to showcase the progress we have made since last season. Hook 'em! Texas vs. Wyoming 7:00 p.m. Austin, Texas TV: Longhorn Network https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rm3IAojI_7Q#!

Time to lay out predictions, Vegas-style, for the opener against the Cowboys. Figured now is a good time before the depth chart is released. Things I want to know: Final score QB stats (we know two will play) Who leads the running backs in yardage? What J. Gray's stats will be ('cause he will play some) # Int's by the Texas defense Total Yards allowed by the defense Let's see what you guys have to say.

Here’s the deal. The quarterback situation at Texas is a touchy subject. It was at this time last year and it continues to be even as I write this post. Last year the Longhorns were reeling from a less-than-acceptable 5-7 2010 season in which freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert threw 10 touchdowns and 17 interceptions (he also rushed for 5 td’s). This year we reflect on the progress made by a team that finished 8-5 while using a 2 quarterback rotation most of the season, wondering if one player has established himself as the frontrunner to begin the 2012 season. The answer is yes, but the Texas coaching staff has been reluctant to publicly name a starter. Is there an elephant in the room? Mack Brown has consistently maintained the notion that Texas needs to have 2 quarterbacks ready to play come September and that nobody cares (from a team perspective) who is ahead in terms of performance at this point. The Spring Game took place last weekend and while both quarterbacks have work to do, it was apparent that David Ash looks more polished than Case McCoy. His mechanics and command of the offense are clearly better and his passes were crisp and “zippy” compared to McCoy’s which were a bit more erratic, mostly due to inconsistent mechanics. The Horns won’t release an official depth chart until the fall but it is expected that David Ash will be the #1 quarterback when Texas makes the depth chart public. So what’s the wait? This Longhorn football team has the potential to be good this season. A 10-win season is very attainable, especially given the relatively friendly schedule. How the quarterback situation is handled will ultimately play a role in the success or shortcomings of this team. Economists sometimes use a term called “opportunity cost.” Opportunity cost is the sacrifice related to the second best choice available to someone who has picked among several mutually exclusive choices. Essentially, the opportunity cost of playing Case McCoy instead of David Ash could manifest itself in the form of lost football games and the hindering of practical on-field playing time in the development of David Ash. We understand Coach Brown’s diplomacy and protection of his players but the rest of the offensive players (and defensive players for that matter) need to know who the leader of this offense will be. The opportunity cost of playing two quarterbacks, in my opinion, is just too high. Mack Brown’s comments from the Spring Game still indicate a paradigm of “two is better than one” when it comes to quarterbacks, which means it might be a long spring and summer for Texas fans – at least those waiting for a starting quarterback to be named. Throw in the fact that Texas has what seems to be a capable quarterback in freshman Connor Brewer (who will likely redshirt) and touted dual-threat quarterback and incoming freshman Jalen Overstreet, and things could get even hairier. While it is not likely, it is conceivable that it could be several years before Texas has a clear-cut consistent starting quarterback. With that being said Mack should name David Ash the starter and continue to develop all of the quarterbacks. What elephant?