Just got back from Dallas, so my thoughts on the game: Don't tell me Mack Brown lost this game, or that he can't win the big games. Chris Simms lost this game, plain and simple. And yes, Mack Brown did decide to start Simms, but, can you really blame him? Simms had two very strong games against A&M and Oregon at the end of last year, both pretty big games for Texas. Outside of the OU game, he was almost brilliant this season. (I think 16 TDs and 2 INT's after the OU loss) On the game: Chris Simms totally sucked in this game, in the biggest game in a long time for Texas. Everything that shanna and other critics said about him was true, and all the progress I had seen him make totally went away. Is it the fault of playing a good team? I don't know. Didn't Colorado have about the same defense in October, when Simms passed for about 250 yards and 3 TDs? Didn't A&M and Oregon have pretty good defenses last season? I'm not sure if the problem is with him playing good teams as much as it is just terrible inconsistency. Last night, he resembled a baseball pitcher who just "didn't have his stuff". After that 2nd pick, I could just tell he was mentally rattled, and after the fumble I was chanting "Major, Major, Major" along with the rest of the crowd. I still have a lot of hope for Chris, and I think he'll be a good QB, but for whatever reason he absolutely had the worst game of his life last night. If Major Applewhite started that game, we would've probably won by over 20 points. This team came out with a ton of adrenaline, as did the crowd after watching the Tennessee loss. We had CU on the ropes, but when Simms threw that first interception, it totally killed any momentum. To make a long story short, Chris Simms totally sucked, and as for the bowl game I am undecided on what to do. On one hand, Simms is likely the quarterback next year, and he has had for the most part a great year this year. How he would react physhologically to being benched I don't know about. However, I am also worried about how he will respond the next time he has a pressure situation. After the first couple of INTs, you could really tell he was rattled, and thinking about it. After a month of hearing about it from the media and other sources, do you think he can put it behind him? I don't know. What I would do is start him, but have him on a very short leash. He is your quarterback for next season, he's been your quarterback all season, and imho he deserves a chance for Mack Brown to see if Simms is recovered. If not, send Major in there asap. P.S. There really should be some rule changes in football. The personal foul call at the end of the game, which gave CU the win on the field goal, was simply ridiculous. If someone just takes out the punter, fine. Call it a personal foul. But if a player gets right through the line and misses the block, he can't help but hit the punter. Referees should have some discretion on plays such as that, and a player just missing a block shouldn't cost his team a personal foul. If it should, then I don't even see why a team would even consider going near a punter... too much of a risk.
The ref really pissed me off. I think a running into the kicker penalty is 5 yards (still not enough to give CU a first down). The ref gave us the maximum roughing the kicker 15 yard personal foul. Poor Geiggar. I hope he understands that its not his fault. We need to have our best QB on the field. If we lose to Washington, we won't be in the top ten.
I agree that this loss is not on Brown but on Simms. to me, people who need for both Brown and Simms to be "bad guys" are just UT haters who will feel the same way no matter who the qb or the coach is. The Cat, what section were you in?
You're right about going after the block. It is a stupid rule. It also is the rule that teams play under. So it was too much of a risk to try for the punt block, late in the game, down by 6, when our offense had been consistantly moving the ball. Mack knew the rule, and made a bad decision (not as stupid as Barnett's fake punt, but still). And no way Simms "deserves" to start the bowl game. He hasn't earned it. Is it a coincidence that Simms didn't do much in the OU game, didn't do much versus A&M, and self-destructed in the Big 12 title game? Yes he looked good last season versus A&M and versus Oregon, but he's done zero this season in big games to prove that he deserves the start.
I've never really understood the logic that Simms played a "great" game against Oregon. Yes, the WR's didn't help him out much. But Simms made as many mistakes in that game as any other. Saying Simms played great in that game, is similar to the excuse some people make that Simms is still a "young" QB, who is close to having exhausted 3 of his 4 years of eligibility. The excuses that have been made for Simms is beyond asinine. Simms is as big of a bust as any recruit I can think of. David Warren comes to mind.
that's cool. I was in section 37 [texas' side, 15 yard line down by the colorado end zone]. not counting the Cotton Bowl I went to when I was little, last night was my first UT football game to attend in person. seeing it in Texas Stadium was even better. for a game that I'd put up in my top 3 or 4 most disappointing sports losses, the carnival atmosphere last night was impossible not to enjoy. I've never seen a scene like the one before the game where the crowd was in a frenzy before the game even started. college sports are simply the best.
Well, CU the first time was a big game too, imho, and he looked great there. Also, remember, you're basing your evaluation that Major should start based on his performances from last season and previous seasons. Yes, he played great last night, but that's one game. Simms had a good game too this season. While Simms overall hasn't been a big game performer this year, he did pretty well last year, and I doubt if you can actually regress from one year to the next in ability to perform in big games. In my heart, I want Major to start. I really do. It felt great seeing him on the field last night, and I actually felt pretty damn confident when he was leading the offense. However, we aren't going to win a national championship this year. Next year we might. Do you really think someone like Chance Mock, with no experience, can lead us to wins at Nebraska, K-State, etc.? I doubt it. Next year, Simms is probably the best QB on our roster. While I'd like to see Major start the bowl game, I'm afraid of the damage it might do to Simms' phyche. If we won the game, criticism and scrutiny of Simms would increase even more. Can he handle that? Previously, I thought he could, but after last night, I don't know. He looked pretty damn rattled after the first couple of picks. I know that sounds like a very poor reason to start a QB, but I'm thinking about winning a national title, and it may give us the best chance for next season.
I really hope Vincent YOung is our qb next year. What a stud he is. I really feel for Chris. A good guy, but he just doesn't have the feel for playing quarterback. Some guys have it, and some guys don't. I'm rooting for him though. Check out Grossman and Eli Manning. Both are about the same age as Chris, but they just have a better feel for the game. Manning would have come to UT if Chris didn't commit first.
First quarter. Up 7-0, driving with ease. Simms hits the CU lb in the chest. That was the game there. UT was moving the ball well the whole game actually. CU won the field position battle thanks to Simms.
Simms is as big of a bust as any recruit I can think of. What? Dude, that's one of the most insane statements I've ever heard. Is Simms a star right now? No. Is he a Heisman candidate? No. But he had a very good season this year, and has been good ever since getting the start against A&M last year. There are dozens of "star" recruits every year who end up doing virtually nothing. Simms was an extremely successful QB this season, and led us to a 10-2 record. Was he a great QB? Nope. Could Major Applewhite have done as well or better in some games? Absolutely. Just because the guy is Phil Simms son everyone expects him to be some kind of superstar. He's not right now. But it's the end of his junior season, and he's a good quarterback. How that makes him one of the greatest busts ever baffles me. By the way, in the Oregon game, Simms made maybe 1 or 2 mistakes. Other than that, he did a great job scanning the field, finding the open receivers, and the UT offense moved the ball consistently the whole game. It is in no way comparable to the CU game, or even the OU game. Chevious, Were you downstairs at the TV's when Tennessee got the win over Florida? That was so awesome... everyone was so pumped up, talking about going to Pasadena... then we had to play our game.
Did you even watch the game? First possession, Texas moves it right down the field and scores. Second possession, Vasher is one step away from a touchdown on a kick return. Texas immediately moves it to the 35, before stalling out. Third possession, Texas moves it right down the field again, and is on the verge of going up 14-0 before Simms threw that horrid pass. Texas was totally dominating that game until the first Simms pick. I don't even think a CU fan will argue with that point...
Some of the blame has to be placed on M. Brown for this one. Why didn't he call a max protect punt return? Making sure nobody foolishly or accidently runs into the punter. All the horns needed was the ball back. They didn't need to even attempt a blocked punt. Why take a chance? Chalk that mishap up to Mack Brown for not COACHING his team to use caution on that play.
Well, CU the first time was a big game too, imho, and he looked great there. Also, remember, you're basing your evaluation that Major should start based on his performances from last season and previous seasons. Agreed that, looking back, CU was a big game. But at the time, it wasn't considered a big deal. Colorado had already lost to Fresno State, was starting a new quarterback, and was ranked in the 20s. Do you really think someone like Chance Mock, with no experience, can lead us to wins at Nebraska, K-State, etc.? No, I don't. But I have no confidence if Simms' ability to do that anymore either. That said, Simms will easily be our most talented QB next year and should be the starter, then. While I'd like to see Major start the bowl game, I'm afraid of the damage it might do to Simms' phyche. You may be right, he might take it hard. He (and Major) both handled the idiotic QB-shuffle admirably last season, but this is a different situation. But you know what? Frankly if he doesn't have the mental toughness to handle adversity, then he's not the guy we need. I don't want to start the guy just to coddle him. It would send the wrong message to the rest of the team, and the wrong message to the fans.
You're in serious denial. The only way being up 7-0 with the ball is considered having a team on the ropes is if the game is 8 minutes long. Texas gave up more points in the second quarter than they'd given up in the last 3 games combined. In fact Colorado scored more points in the second quarter than Texas gave up in ten different games this year. If CU was on the ropes then it was the rope a dope. It's sad that UT fans would rather play ifs and buts than give credit where it's due.
I don't particularly have a problem with Brown in this game in terms of gameday decisions, but others apparently disagree. Check out this article: http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/sports.pat,sports/3acd2da9.c01,.html <I>IRVING, Texas -- You can blame Mack Brown for knocking the Big 12 out of the national title game this time. Everybody except Brown did his job. Tennessee smacked No. 2 Florida, opening the door for the Longhorns to rise in the Bowl Championship Series standings. And the Colorado Buffaloes made two unforced mistakes in Saturday night's Dr Pepper Big 12 title game, making it a real disgrace that the Longhorns won't face the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes in the Rose Bowl. Mistake No. 1: The Buffaloes walloped interception-prone Texas quarterback Chris Simms so hard that Brown, Texas' coach, had an excuse to play senior Major Applewhite, Texas' all-time leading passer. Mistake No. 2: Leading by 13 midway through the fourth quarter, Colorado coach Gary Barnett provided the Longhorns with one last piece of good fortune when he foolishly called for a fake punt at midfield. The fake never had a chance. The Longhorns diagnosed the play the moment the Buffaloes broke the huddle. Texas cornerback Roderick Babers picked off the pass and raced into the end zone, cutting Colorado's lead to six. Colorado's gaffes weren't enough. In the end, Brown matched Barnett's mistake with a stupid decision of his own and spoiled a perfect opportunity to win his first conference championship in 18 years as a college head coach. Colorado 39, Texas 37. The Colorado team that lost to Texas by 34 points 40 days ago somehow is the best team in the Big 12. Or at least the Buffaloes are the Big 12 champions. How do you make up 34 points in 40 days? Against Texas all you have to do is add a tad bit of pressure and importance. Mack Brown and Chris Simms might go down in history as the worst big-game performers in college football history. Simms turned over the ball four times (three interceptions and a fumble) in the first half. An injury to Simms' hand allowed Brown to turn the game over to Applewhite, who took over with the Longhorns trailing 29-10. Riding Applewhite's rested, hot hand and Babers' huge interception, the Longhorns rallied to within 36-30. With 4 minutes to play, the Longhorns' defense forced a Colorado punt. There was plenty of time for a storybook Applewhite TD drive. The Longhorns simply needed to set up a punt return. Given the time and the situation Brown should have instructed his players to stay away from the punter. There was no reason to rush the punter. The Longhorns should have been plotting a decent return. A backup Texas safety rammed into the side of Colorado's punter, giving the Buffaloes the ball back on a roughing-the-kicker call. "We thought we could block the punt," Brown said. Arrogant and stupid. That's the only way I can describe Brown's decision. Arrogance and stupidity are the only things that stopped Brown from acknowledging Saturday night that Applewhite was his best chance to win the national title. By the fourth quarter of this game that was clear. <B>By going for the block, Brown was saying there was a better chance of blocking the punt than Applewhite carrying the Longhorns down field for a touchdown. By going for the block, Brown said one last time that he didn't believe Applewhite was good enough to win a national title. </B> The alleged reason for starting Simms ahead of Applewhite was that Simms had enough upside to win it all while Applewhite didn't. At 6 feet 5, Simms, the son of Super Bowl champ Phil Simms, certainly has a great deal of upside. Unfortunately, in big games all we ever see is the downside. He chokes. He can't handle the pressure. Applewhite has the intangibles of a winner. He has a Joe Montana quality. Brown, the great recruiter, doesn't have the coaching instincts to realize what it takes to win on the biggest stage. </I> The bold part, I think, was a bit harsh, but an interesting perspective nonetheless.
Why don't you go to the CU boards, and see what they have to say. Coincidentally, it's very similar to my statements. Are they in serious denial too? CU didn't do anything for those points in the second quarter... Chris Simms simply gave them the points. If we convert on the drive, which we would 90% of the time, we're up 14-0, the crowd is rocking, and all momentum is against Colorado. One more score, and the rout would've been on. That is having someone on the ropes. Had Simms not thrown the first interception, I don't think the meltdown would've happened. It was a snowball effect. Frankly if he doesn't have the mental toughness to handle adversity, then he's not the guy we need. I don't want to start the guy just to coddle him. It would send the wrong message to the rest of the team, and the wrong message to the fans. To an extent, I agree with you. If Simms can't handle adversity, he isn't ever going to be a great QB. However, after the way he got rattled last night, I'm starting to question if he can handle it. My fear is that he can't, and although it sends the wrong message, it is unfortunately the best option for next season, imho.
Biggest mistake of all: grouping Chris Simms mistakes with those of Mack Brown. Mack Brown can't give Chris Simms a brain. He can't tell him to throw it away, or look across the field. I don't know of any coach who can. Yes, I know some will argue that Major should've started, but look at Simms' season this year. It was one of the best seasons in Texas history for a quarterback. Mack's reasons for starting Chris were legitimate. As for the punt, why not take a chance on it? We just blocked a punt and took it back last week, against A&M. As good as Major is, it's hard for any offense to take it the length of the field in four minutes when the other team knows what you're going to do. We executed the play very well, and just barely missed the ball. Bad luck, and a horrible rule. Even if you think that was a bad mistake by Mack, it's nowhere near as stupid as what Gary Barnett did on the earlier fake punt. And people are talking about him for coach of the year.
I don't know what they need to do for next year. there are a lot of unattractive options, though. first off, if you play major in the bowl, you allow major to have an honorable end to his most honorable tenure at Texas. and Texas probably wins by 50. however, the mess you're left with in simms is an ugly one. even though the bowl will not be a big game and will not be a true test like the ones simms has so miserably failed, it is his first and last opportunity of this season to try to begin to dig himself out of the hole he's dug. I have no idea what chance mock or matt nordgren are capable of, but I believe it can't possibly be worse than what simms has shown in games against top 10 opponents. I think the best, most realistic thing Texas fans can hope for is that vincent young comes to Texas and steals the job from simms. this would, of course, assume that young is the real deal and not simms part II. yes, I think that is a more realistic possibility than the possibility of simms just magically learning how to read defenses and perform in big games by next year. it will be a long, long, long offseason for simms, brown and the UT faithful. I personally believe that brown may be willing to lose his job over chris simms. I don't think there's any way that brown will consider anyone other than simms as his qb for next year. I think brown also probably feels like he's dug too deep a hole with simms to turn back now and try to get out of it with someone else. I don't know if stubbornness plays into it, but I think brown probably just feels like it's too late to make a change now. I'm hoping that, sheerly on the basis of class, brown will pick applewhite [the senior] for the bowl game. but after that. . . as I said before, the mess is ugly. everything about next season depends on 1 player's ability to fix serious problems in his game, and he won't have a legitimate opportunity to work on fixing his problem until we play oklahomo next year. damn, we're in a tight spot.
