Enjoyed the podcast. A few things of note re: Texas and the state of things.
Minor note: Texas is the home team this year but the game is played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. No home field advantage either way. Split right down the middle so I'm not sure if that changes your capping stance or not but wanted to point that out.
Texas isn't "just bad." They're younger than probably any team in the country. At one point last week early in the game the safety and both corners were true freshmen.
Last week against TCU 15 true freshmen, 7 redshirt freshmen and 11 true sophomores played. All of them scholarship players. So 33 of your 85 scholarships haven't been on campus for even a full 18 months yet. And not just on special teams.
The starting left tackle and right guard are true freshmen. The starting QB is a redshirt freshman. Middle linebacker, DBs, etc True or redshirt freshmen or true sophomores logging major minutes bc the upperclassmen above them simply aren't good enough.
People nationally (and even locally) still don't fully realize how bad it had gotten at Texas. Mack Brown got lazy his last 4-5 years and when that happens, you build a lazy culture. Now the upperclassmen that should be leaders are so used to losing they don't know any different.
Charlie Strong has been forced to change a culture he didn't create. And he's changing it. It's just happening in a time that has more eyes on it than ever before and platforms for frustrations to be aired out.
Also, Texas hasn't had any help from its schedule either. They played ND week 1 that has NFL talent all over the field and specifically at spots where Texas had young and inexperienced talent. Cal has a first round QB and offense to go with it and Oklahoma State is leading the country in sacks (they will give West Virginia a run for their money for that very reason). Even in spite of the bad calls and special teams gafs, they are two plays away from being 3-2 right now.
TCU should've beat them that way. Heisman trophy candidate QB with a Biletnikoff candidate WR in Doctson. And freshmen in your secondary to stop them.
People just need to relax and give Strong some time.
As it relates to this game, Texas has found a way to make things interesting in games like this so I would expect them to put up a fight. 17 is a lot to cover in this game. That being said, it could quickly get away from them late so it's a no play for me.
