Old Tiger
11-16-2007, 01:47 PM
Colt McCoy eager to show Aggies his toughness
Longhorns don't want a repeat of last year's A&M game, which knocked them out of the Big 12 title game and a prestigious bowl berth.
Click-2-Listen
By Suzanne Halliburton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy chooses not to dwell on the details of what happened during last year's 12-7 loss to Texas A&M.
He left the game with 20 seconds to play strapped to a stretcher after having suffered his second neck stinger in two weeks. McCoy's neck and chest were immobilized. He had lost most of the feeling in his right arm, but he weakly pointed a finger for a No. 1 sign as he was carted off the field.
A year after the fact, McCoy is aware that some Aggie fans, posting on a Web site, nicknamed him "Cart" McCoy. McCoy also knows that an editorial in The Battalion, the A&M school newspaper, mocked him for his perceived lack of toughness during the game.
"They'll see tough," McCoy said Wednesday, with the A&M game eight days away.
Like McCoy, several other Longhorns were talking tough as they met with the press for the first time since they beat Texas Tech, 59-43, to extend their winning streak to five games. They weren't boastful and promising a win over the Aggies. Nor were they talking about revenge for a loss that knocked them out of last year's Big 12 Conference title game.
Rather, the talk was about how they needed to show a different personality against their biggest in-state rival. The last time the two teams met, Texas was meek, and underdog A&M dictated the pace in the 12-7 loss.
"Last year, we were looking weak," said Texas tailback Jamaal Charles, who scored the Longhorns' lone touchdown against A&M. "We weren't having any fun. After we lost that game, it was if we didn't have it anymore.
"We thought they'd let up because we're Texas. In their mind, they were saying, 'Hey, we can play with them.' "
A&M limited the Texas offense to a season-low 230 yards. Only 70 of it came on the ground, which was the Longhorns' worst showing in three seasons.
The Texas defense, which had been the best in the nation at stopping the run, gave up 244 yards. While A&M scored only 12 points, the Aggies used up most of the fourth quarter on their winning touchdown drive. The march covered 16 plays and 88 yards, draining 8 minutes and 56 seconds from the clock. Aggie quarterback Stephen McGee threw only two passes during the drive, which will go down in Aggie lore as the march that ended Texas' six-year domination.
"They shattered all our dreams," said UT defensive end Brian Orakpo.
Turnovers also gave the Aggies an advantage. McCoy, whose arm was weakened by the stinger he had suffered 13 days before, threw three interceptions, two in the second half.
Coaches believed McCoy was their only viable option because Jevan Snead, McCoy's backup, already had decided to quit the team and seek a transfer. Snead came in on the final series and threw an interception, the Longhorns' fourth turnover of the game.
This year the Aggies and Longhorns are on opposite paths to finish the season.
Texas is on a high, knowing that a sixth straight victory would make them an attractive candidate for a BCS bowl.
The Aggies are on a low, having lost three in a row and four of their past five. They need a victory to clinch a bowl bid, but there is much speculation that Dennis Franchione, their embattled coach, won't be around for the postseason.
Texas coach Mack Brown has cautioned his team not to approach the game with revenge in mind.
"I don't want them to not be emotional," he said. "I want them to play with control."
McCoy recovered from his injury in time to lead Texas to a win in the Alamo Bowl. He has had no problems with his right arm or shoulder this season.
He said he harbors no ill will against the Aggie players. A&M defensive lineman Kellen Heard, who was flagged for a late hit on McCoy a year ago, wrote a letter to the UT athletic department to apologize for the play. It was defensive lineman Michael Bennett's hit that put McCoy on the stretcher and off to the hospital.
The hits, McCoy said, were not cheap shots. They will not be used to rally his teammates this year.
"I have enough motivation knowing that we lost the game last year, 12-7, at home," McCoy said. "And that is big enough for us to go down there. That was big enough to put a bad taste in our mouth."
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/15/1115texfoot.html
Longhorns don't want a repeat of last year's A&M game, which knocked them out of the Big 12 title game and a prestigious bowl berth.
Click-2-Listen
By Suzanne Halliburton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy chooses not to dwell on the details of what happened during last year's 12-7 loss to Texas A&M.
He left the game with 20 seconds to play strapped to a stretcher after having suffered his second neck stinger in two weeks. McCoy's neck and chest were immobilized. He had lost most of the feeling in his right arm, but he weakly pointed a finger for a No. 1 sign as he was carted off the field.
A year after the fact, McCoy is aware that some Aggie fans, posting on a Web site, nicknamed him "Cart" McCoy. McCoy also knows that an editorial in The Battalion, the A&M school newspaper, mocked him for his perceived lack of toughness during the game.
"They'll see tough," McCoy said Wednesday, with the A&M game eight days away.
Like McCoy, several other Longhorns were talking tough as they met with the press for the first time since they beat Texas Tech, 59-43, to extend their winning streak to five games. They weren't boastful and promising a win over the Aggies. Nor were they talking about revenge for a loss that knocked them out of last year's Big 12 Conference title game.
Rather, the talk was about how they needed to show a different personality against their biggest in-state rival. The last time the two teams met, Texas was meek, and underdog A&M dictated the pace in the 12-7 loss.
"Last year, we were looking weak," said Texas tailback Jamaal Charles, who scored the Longhorns' lone touchdown against A&M. "We weren't having any fun. After we lost that game, it was if we didn't have it anymore.
"We thought they'd let up because we're Texas. In their mind, they were saying, 'Hey, we can play with them.' "
A&M limited the Texas offense to a season-low 230 yards. Only 70 of it came on the ground, which was the Longhorns' worst showing in three seasons.
The Texas defense, which had been the best in the nation at stopping the run, gave up 244 yards. While A&M scored only 12 points, the Aggies used up most of the fourth quarter on their winning touchdown drive. The march covered 16 plays and 88 yards, draining 8 minutes and 56 seconds from the clock. Aggie quarterback Stephen McGee threw only two passes during the drive, which will go down in Aggie lore as the march that ended Texas' six-year domination.
"They shattered all our dreams," said UT defensive end Brian Orakpo.
Turnovers also gave the Aggies an advantage. McCoy, whose arm was weakened by the stinger he had suffered 13 days before, threw three interceptions, two in the second half.
Coaches believed McCoy was their only viable option because Jevan Snead, McCoy's backup, already had decided to quit the team and seek a transfer. Snead came in on the final series and threw an interception, the Longhorns' fourth turnover of the game.
This year the Aggies and Longhorns are on opposite paths to finish the season.
Texas is on a high, knowing that a sixth straight victory would make them an attractive candidate for a BCS bowl.
The Aggies are on a low, having lost three in a row and four of their past five. They need a victory to clinch a bowl bid, but there is much speculation that Dennis Franchione, their embattled coach, won't be around for the postseason.
Texas coach Mack Brown has cautioned his team not to approach the game with revenge in mind.
"I don't want them to not be emotional," he said. "I want them to play with control."
McCoy recovered from his injury in time to lead Texas to a win in the Alamo Bowl. He has had no problems with his right arm or shoulder this season.
He said he harbors no ill will against the Aggie players. A&M defensive lineman Kellen Heard, who was flagged for a late hit on McCoy a year ago, wrote a letter to the UT athletic department to apologize for the play. It was defensive lineman Michael Bennett's hit that put McCoy on the stretcher and off to the hospital.
The hits, McCoy said, were not cheap shots. They will not be used to rally his teammates this year.
"I have enough motivation knowing that we lost the game last year, 12-7, at home," McCoy said. "And that is big enough for us to go down there. That was big enough to put a bad taste in our mouth."
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/15/1115texfoot.html